Set in modern-day coastal New SouthWales,a part-time university lecturer receives a jolt from the past. Recalling the events leading up to the death of one beautiful girl, his story slowly unfolds, while intertwining with that of another. Who is Krystal, where did she come from, and why did she die? Within the authentically-conveyed lifestyle and conver- sations of thirty-something professionals, Parkinson captures the essence of desire and grieving, with a telling depiction of the descent into depression. Rather than the plot being strewn with clues and red herrings, the story unfolds inexorably to a conclusion that in the end proves cathartic for the main character, but with a few surprises for the reader towards the end.