Salted with Fire takes place in Kisii on the eve of Kenya's independence. Central to the story is Dexter Conway, a colonial officer who will be one of the few to remain in Kenya. This suits Conway, who seeks a different life in the newly independent country. The tale begins with a mysterious train wreck. As the story unfolds, Conway becomes enmeshed with Kwamboka, wounded and hidden at Conway's home by his servant, Maranga. Through Kwamboka, Conway's relationship with Maranga takes a new turn.
In the surprising and suspenseful story, Arthur Dobrin reverses the effect of a changing world upon the lives of these people in Western Kenya.