''I missed a train stop twice on the same journey while reading it. That''s how distractingly good it is.'' -- Viv Groskop, Independent on Sunday

Yvonne is newly widowed, her children grown. Hoping to revisit memories of a happier time, she travels to Turkey. Despite the sand and sea, Yvonne''s memories of her past are overwhelming and she clings to a newfound friendship with Ahmet, a local boy who makes his living as a shell collector.

With Ahmet as her guide, Yvonne finally begins to enjoy the shimmering waters and relaxed pace of the Turkish coast. But when a devastating accident suddenly upends her hard-won peace, she finds her life thrown into chaos and with it her fragile sense of belonging.