Sarah Hall's first novel is set in 1936 in a remote dale in the old county of Westmoreland, and tells of the flooding of the dale to make way for a reservoir, against the wishes of many of the local hill farmers. It is a story of love, obsession and the destruction of a community.

Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Best First Book) (2003)|Winner of the Commonwealth Writer's Prize Best First Book Eurasia (2003)