A girl is raped and brutally murdered in 1865. The same thing happens in 1915. Will it be the same sad story in 1944, or can the cycle of death be broken? And how can Lucy Bowen - a recently bereaved young woman living in 1999 - 'remember' these events? It seems nobody was ever brought to justice for the murders, so with the help of a friendly psychic, this sceptic about spiritualism embarks on an adventure which will not only identify the killers, but also provide a surprising revelation about her own family history. Along the way, Lucy finds love and a new family, but has to watch a father figure succumb to dementia. The Ice Cream Seller is a new historical novel from Stephen Phillips, author of the Ozymandias trilogy.