When traditional owner Curtis Brennan is found dead among the sacred granite formations of Karlu Karlu, Detective Senior Constable Ruby Mackenzie expects a straightforward climbing accident investigation in Australia’s remote Northern Territory.

But climbing chalk on rocks no Aboriginal person would ever touch tells a different story. Someone has been violating sacred sites for profit, and Curtis died trying to stop them.

Ruby’s investigation uncovers a thriving illegal tourism operation that has been exploiting Aboriginal culture for years, bringing unauthorised visitors to ceremonial grounds that should remain untouched. As she delves deeper into the community’s secrets, she discovers that protecting sacred sites can be a deadly business.

In the punishing heat of the outback, where the nearest help is hours away and traditional law runs as deep as European justice, Ruby must navigate cultural sensitivities while hunting a killer who will do anything to protect their profitable violation of fifty-thousand-year-old protocols.

With traditional owners conducting their investigation and the harsh environment working against her, Ruby races to solve Curtis Brennan’s murder before the killer strikes again.