An emotionally resonant novel that confronts the deeply personal effects of war. Henry Hayward is a drowning man. With a soured long-term romance finally at an end, no family, and no refuge to be had in work, he progressively spends his days in the solace of alcohol and his nights with a series of interchangeable partners. In a quest to simultaneously recover from unrequited love and to find meaning in what is becoming an increasingly emotionally arid life, Henry travels to Afghanistan as an army-affiliated contractor. After a routine patrol turns fatal Henry is hounded by guilt. Upon returning home he resolves to take care of the people and places around him, but he hasn't factored in family history and social infidelity... Novel asks to whom are we beholden???