Starting in the 1970s and spanning three decades, this moving novel begins with a tragedy that reverberates through the lives of two neighbouring families. Growing up in 1970s suburbia, Beth Standing knew her home was different from other people's. What she didn't understand was why. Instead she sought solace in the noisy, energetic household of the Frederick family across the street, and her childhood friendship with Dan Frederick. Almost twenty years later, Beth is reunited with Dan and his family. But relationships have shifted; nothing is quite what it seems. Embarking on an affair that will shatter the hard-won serenity of both families, Beth and Dan come face to face with their pasts, and with the precarious nature of happiness. It is a journey that will ultimately lead Beth to the shocking truth behind her relationship with her mother, and the thirty-year-old tragedy that has shaped all their lives.