Exploring the complexities of family life and the importance of community, this novel is set on a small island in the Channel. Brenda, a feisty barmaid at the local pub, suddenly finds herself raising her two young boys alone as her estranged husband, Peter, leaves for Ireland in search of better prospects. Worn down by the constant struggle and pregnant with a third child whose father is nowhere to be seen, Brenda’s spark begins to dwindle and her children become more and more unruly. A friend persuades Peter to return, but, soon after, their youngest son disappears. As they search for him, they are unaware that they will find something dark and terrible. This powerful story of broken relationships, hope, and reconciliation proves that all is rarely as it first may seem.