A haunting story of yearning, love and betrayal from the bestselling author of Thornwood House. Lucy Briar has arrived home in turmoil after years overseas. She's met her fiance in London and has her life mapped out, but something is holding her back. Hoping to ground herself and find answers, Lucy settles into once familiar routines. But old tortured feelings flood Lucy's existence when her beloved father, Ron, is hospitalised and Morgan - the man who drove her away all those years ago - seeks her out. Worse, Ron implores Lucy to visit Bitterwood Estate, the crumbling historic family guesthouse now left to him. He needs Lucy to find something - an old photograph album, the very thing that drove Ron and his father apart. Lucy has her own painful memories of Bitterwood, darkness that has plagued her dreams since she was young. But as Lucy searches for the album, the house begins to give up its ghosts and she is driven to put them to rest. And there, held tightly between the house, the orchard and the soaring cliffs, Lucy uncovers a long-hidden secret that shattered a family's bond and kept a frightened young girl in its thrall...and Lucy discovers just how fierce the lonely heart can be.

Author Biography

Anna Romer was born in Australia to a family of booklovers. She led a nomadic life for many years, travelling around Europe and Britain in an ancient Kombi van where she discovered a passion for history. These days she lives in a little old cottage surrounded by bushland, writing stories about dark family secrets, rambling houses, characters haunted by the past, and settings that feature the uniquely beautiful Australian landscape. Anna's debut bestselling novel was Thornwood House, followed by Lyrebird Hill and Beyond the Orchard. See AnnaRomer.com.au