A THE TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
LONGLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION
SHORTLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BETTY TRASK PRIZE

'Immersive and beautiful' The Times
'A rollicking, page-turning wild west adventure' Guardian
'Thrilling' New Statesman
'I can't recommend it enough' Rachel Joyce
'Paddy Crewe has a 24-carat gift' Sebastian Barry

Yip Tolroy and his fiery Mama run the general store in Heron's Creek, Georgia. An uneventful life, until gold is discovered nearby and Yip is caught up in a bloody, grievous crime forcing him to flee. On the run, friendless and alone, he meets Dud Carter a savvy but unlikely companion. Together, they embark on a journey that thrusts them unwittingly into a world of menace and violence, of lust and revenge. And, as Yip and Dud's odyssey takes them further into the unknown - via travelling shows, escaped slaves and the greed of gold-hungry men - the pull of home only gets stronger. But what will they find there if they ever return?