Mary Letts

This collection of short stories explores the sometimes poignant, sometimes startlingly dramatic moments in the different lives of each of their central characters. They are set against the finely drawn backdrops either of rural England, urban Italy or a remote Greek Island.

The story begins when Julia returns to Spain, the country where she was born, for her mother's funeral. Although she was hoping to close the door on her difficult childhood and problematic relationship with her mother, she is forced to revisit these early memories when a skeleton is unearthed on the border of her mother's land. The ensuing homicide investigation involves not just Julia but also other inhabitants of the Spanish mountain village, and forces Julia to hire a lawyer to defend her mother's name. As the investigation proceeds, however, her relationship with the lawyer becomes increasingly complex.