OverthecourseoftwoweeksinasmallEnglishtown,areclusivewidowdiscoversanunexpectedreasontolive.Followingthelossofherhusbandandson,HelenCartwrightreturnstothevillageofherchildhoodafterlivingabroadforsixdecades.Heronlywishistodiequicklyandwithoutfuss.SheretreatsintoherhomeonWestminsterCrescent,becomingacreatureofroutineandhabit:“Eachdaywasanimpersonationoftheonebeforewithonlyaslightshuffle--asthoughevenfordeaththereisaqueue.“Then,onecoldwinternight,achanceencounterwithamousesetsHelenonasurprisingjourney.Sipsworthisareminderthattherecanbesecondchances.Nomatterwhatwehaveplannedforourselves,sometimeslifehasplansofitsown.Withprofoundcompassion,SimonVanBooyilluminatesnotonlyadeepfriendshipforgedbetweentwolonelycreatures,butthereverberationsofgoodnessthatrippleoutfromthatuniquebond.
