Nicholas Ranse arrives on a remote island off the Australian coast in 1975 to settle his late uncle's affairs, only to find himself entangled in the volatile political collapse of a colonial regime. As Ranse attempts to recover the belongings of his uncle, a naturalist whose death is officially ruled a suicide, he is forced to navigate a landscape defined by revolutionary fervor and colonial decay. He encounters a cast of expatriates at the Hotel Tropicala who remain detached from the escalating violence in the hills. The narrative follows his internal conflict as he confronts a family history he previously attempted to abandon, while the physical threat of the surrounding civil unrest looms over his investigation. The story is presented through a lens of psychological tension, emphasizing the protagonist's struggle to maintain objectivity amidst a crumbling social order.

Readers and critics frequently note the atmospheric density of the prose, which effectively captures the humid, claustrophobic environment of the island. Discussion often centers on the author's ability to balance the personal mystery of the protagonist's uncle with the broader, chaotic political backdrop of the mid-1970s. Many reviewers highlight the stylistic precision of the writing, noting that the narrative prioritizes mood and character introspection over rapid-fire action sequences. The book is often cited for its exploration of the outsider's perspective in a post-colonial setting, providing a nuanced look at the intersection of individual identity and historical upheaval. Readers who appreciate character-driven narratives with a strong sense of place will find the work particularly engaging.