Drover and Pete are two hopeful drifters looking for a better life. Desperate for food, they break into an isolated house deep in a forest. There they accidentally shoot an old man just as the rest of his family arrive for a birthday gathering. Under intense suspicion from the family, the boys attempt to cover up the accident. But they are not the only ones keeping a murderous secret. Mistrust and deception unearth a primeval ritual as the lies give way to a terrifying truth. With time running out and a deadly force closing in, Drover and Pete's survival rests on the strength of their friendship, but they must face some horrific choices in order to stay alive. James Collins is the author of The Judas Inheritance on which is based the forthcoming feature film The Thirteenth, starring Kurtis Stacey, Rebecca Grant, Wookie Meyer, Richard Syms, and Lorna Doyle. He lives and works in Greece. This is his ninth novel and second horror-thriller.