Part One

When Len and Joycie are jolted off their couch and into their backyard by a massive earthquake, they find their young neighbours unexpectedly helpful. But unsavoury elements are on the prowl and continuing aftershocks are shredding everyone’s nerves to breaking point. Tuesday February 22, 2011 dawns peacefully enough but little does Ginny know that at 12.51pm a lethal earthquake will reveal fractures in her family that she cannot ignore. Joycie fears for Len in Lyttelton, but to Monee the earthquake means freedom.