They have been coming to a holiday cottage in Suffolk for as long as they can remember, and Ellie and Jack are familiar with every lane and byway, every stretch of beach and shingle, indeed every nook and cranny within easy reach of the cottage, and of course they have their own favourite places. On this the last day, before their holiday is over for another year and after much pleading, the children have been allowed out on their own and are heading down the lane in search of adventure. The Suffolk coast has always held out a hint of the supernatural, magic and alternative realities, but nothing has prepared the children for what is about to unfold. This will be a holiday they will never forget.