In the bitter winter of 1946, Rachael Morgan arrives in the ruins of Hamburg. Here she is reunited with her husband Lewis, a British colonel charged with rebuilding the shattered city. As they set off for their new home Rachael is stunned to discover that Lewis has made an extraordinary decision: they will be sharing the grand house with its previous owners, a German widower and his troubled daughter. In this charged atmosphere, enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal.

'This masterly novel wrings every drop of feeling out of a gripping human situation.' Mail on Sunday.

'Superb. Conjures surprise after surprise' Guardian.

'Excellent, original, masterly. A captivating tale not only of love among the ruins but also of treachery and vengeance' Literary Review.

'Profoundly moving, beautifully written. Ponders issues of decency, guilt and forgiveness' Independent.

'Terrific. Suspicion, resentment and misunderstanding haunt this city. Richly atmospheric' Sunday Telegraph.