Martin Flint has been hit hard. Two years ago, his young daughter died in an accident, and while he and his wife are learning to cope with the tragedy, it doesn't look as if they are going to make it. More and more Martin turns to the only other friend he's got: the Pillars of Wisdom poker machine - until it lets him down one time too many. Using what's left of a small inheritance, Martin travels to Fiji. A little time out from a life out of control is also an opportunity to research the story of a nineteenth-century treasure. From the realm of Sydney's poker machine parlours to the seedy bars and backstreets of Suva, Martin encounters conmen, criminals, drifters and dreamers. A young Fijian woman with troubles of her own provides heartache and hope - and the knowledge that life isn't always elsewhere.