'A beautiful maze of hidden pasts, family ties and fairytales' —Jen Campbell, author of The Bookshop Book

'A thoughtful novel. Parkin creates authentic, interesting characters' —Carys Bray, Costa-shortlisted author of A Song for Issy Bradley

'A great read' —The Sun

It is autumn time and on a peaceful Cornish beach, Finn and his sister Ava defy planning regulations and achieve a childhood dream when they build themselves an illegal beach hut. This tiny haven will be their home until Ava departs at Midwinter for a round-the-world adventure.

In the town, local publican Donald is determined to get rid of them. Still mourning the death of his wife, all he wants is a quiet place where he can forget the past and raise his daughter Alicia in safety. But Alicia is wrestling with demons of her own.

As the sunshine fades and winter approaches, the beach hut stirs old memories for everyone. Their lives become entwined in surprising ways and the secrets of past and present are finally exposed.