The future seems to hold limited possibilities for Son Erby. The African-American child of a farm labourer in 1930s Tennessee, his fate seems as certain as the sunset at the day's end. But when his father takes him to work at the Coleman farm and hands down the secret to making corn liquor, everything changes. Moving from the shaded parlours of the wealthy Sawyer clan to the illegal activities in the woods along the Mississippi river, Fryer's debut explores the roots of racism and the dangerous power of secrets.