Set in an Irish small town, this third novel by Binchy depicts the changes that affected the country in the late twentieth century.

Patrick O'Neill, an Irish-American businessman, settles with his children in "the land of his ancestors" in order to build a luxury hotel on the site of a derelict mansion.

[2][3] As construction crews begin working on the project, Kate Ryan is seriously injured at the site, and the entire town is negatively affected by the unfolding events.

[6] The Orlando Sentinel praised the novel for combining a "wide-angle view" of the Irish town with an "intimate" look at the lives of its inhabitants, including the main characters, the O'Neills and Ryans, and numerous other residents.

The review noted: "Binchy charts both the placidity and turbulence of village life: the secrets hidden behind lace curtains, a young girl's first kiss, children's summer games, unexpected pregnancies, sudden deaths.