The Reckoning

Canadian‑born Essie Portman’s Australian husband, Robert, vanished without a trace. Two years later, she is drowning — in fear, financial trouble, unanswered questions, in the alcohol that no longer keeps her upright, and in dreams that trouble more than frighten her. She doesn’t understand why she’s drawn to the flaming jarrah box that keeps appearing in her sleep — only that it feels like a warning she can’t interpret.

A frightening encounter at a local coffee shop changes everything — a woman inserts herself into Essie’s life with unsettling familiarity, hinting at intimate knowledge of her missing husband and knowing far too much about Essie herself. While searching for her husband, Essie draws toward the edges of a darker world she never knew existed: the Fellowship, a fracturing, powerful organization steeped in secrecy, obsession, and criminal acts that have gone unchallenged for far too long.

Her neighbour, Justice and his friends, remain loyal to her, but the reckoning Essie faces is far larger than any of them imagined. As Rachael pulls her deeper into the Fellowship’s world, long‑buried criminal acts surface — and Essie becomes the one positioned to expose them. She is no longer alone: the women who have quietly stepped into her life — Vivian, Freida, Pamela, and Sylvia — form the War Council at her side, a fierce and unexpected alliance that strengthens her resolve. Together, they stand with Essie as she confronts the escalating trap laid before her and faces the truth that has been waiting for her all along.