At thirty-three, Alice has lost her gutsy Australian sparkle. London was supposed to be a great adventure with her boyfriend, but when their relationship unravels she takes refuge in a remote Irish outpost. Swimming in the freezing lough numbs her guilt and helps her feel alive again, but her past is only ever lurking just below the surface.

Felix, finding himself in Rathmullan after unspeakable family tragedy, relieves his sadness by running for miles along the weathered beach. He's a stranger to everyone here, so who keeps leaving him messages in the sand? And when a relative turns up in need of shelter, will he rise to the challenge or be destroyed by self-doubt?

Accompanied by friendly rooks, watched by curious seals and with myths gradually taking form, Rathmullan may just be the place where memories fade, imaginations fire, and where loneliness recedes with the tide.

But can Alice and Felix stop running from their pasts long enough to forge their futures?