The story is set in a fictionalized territory in the third world in which some kind of genocide is taking place. The central character is an international prize-winning news reporter called Hannah from New Zealand who is following the story of a Catholic nun caught up in a genocide. She feels she is developing a genuine relationship with the nun and it is this genuineness that is the hallmark of her journalism. She gets 'up front' and 'in the face' of her subjects and this nun is no exception. However, Hannah is also a driven, risky, racy woman who is addicted to sex and often gets caught up in sexual encounters with dubious characters.