For fans of Liz Moore, Chris Whitaker, and Tana French

'Beauty and menace glint in this gripping, character-driven mystery.' Alex Clark, author of Dovecombe

Welcome to The Spit, hidden away from the mainland, where everyone knows everyone and secrets have no place to hide.

Theo was born on the island but has always felt different to the other children. His mother, originally from the mainland, has tried to make peace with her new home but has always found its smallness cloying.

When Angie and Sam invite Theo into their fold, he thinks he has found kin. More, he thinks he has found his life's love in Angie. But when the two girls go missing, the question on everyone's lips is: Did Theo have something to do with it?

Now, decades later, Theo's mother has died and he must return to The Spit to deal with everything she never wanted to. The island is much different now but that question still lingers. And when another girl goes missing, all eyes are once again on Theo.

Did the strange boy with the sour mother do something then? And has he done it again?