In 1856, a teenage girl led 40000 to their deaths in the Eastern Cape. When Treive Nicholas arrived in the 1980s to teach, he was captivated by the Wild Coast. Researching its history, he explores the Cattle Killing of 1856-1857. Was Nongqawuse a deceiver or a liberation leader? Treive's quest spans continents, from South Africa to England, ending with a shocking revelation closer to home than expected.