Marcia Willett

As summertime beckons, Evie's family gathers once more at the beautiful old riverside house they all adore. But when Evie discovers a secret that threatens their future, a shadow falls over them all: this summer by the river could be their last together... For Charlie, a visit home to see his step-mother Evie is an escape from his unhappy marriage in London - until a chance encounter changes everything. In the space of a moment he meets a woman by...

Busy mum of twins Liv is looking forward to summer at the Beach Hut in Devon, even if she feels that she and Matt left things on a strange note. She's sure it's just that he's too busy at work to join them on holiday, not that he wants time alone. Baz loves having his family to stay by the sea, but when an unexpected guest arrives, he finds himself torn between the past and the future. Still reeling from a break-up, all Sofia wants is a quiet seaside...

Childhood friends and cousins Leo and Alice had imagined their whole lives playing out on their beloved Devon beach. But one night when they are teens, sitting on the sand beneath the stars, Alice tells Leo a secret that must never be shared with anybody else - then packs her bag and flees. Leo is left to build his own life - without Alice. He surrounds himself with other family and friends and on the whole is content and fulfilled. But he is left...

After the death of her father, El moves into his home just outside Tavistock in Devon. Fresh out of university and dangling on the precipice of adulthood, she questions what it is she really wants from life. Although her childhood friend, Will, is there to help her through her grief, she soon realises there were deep secrets her father was hiding from her.

After her husband dies, Cara no longer wishes to live in their London home. On impulse, she sells it and goes to stay with her brother in Salcombe, Devon, while she plans her next move. There, she begins to look back at her life and reflect on the choices that have led her to this moment. Cosmo has also escaped - temporarily - from his life in the city, finding the south-west a relaxing and appealing fit, especially when he meets local girl, Amy....

Claudia and Jeff Maynard seem the perfect couple, but underneath they are both running away from the truth of their marriage. When everything collapses around her, Claudia realises the effects that pretence and denial can bring.

When Mathilda bequeaths her Devonshire house to three unknown relatives, she brings together a group of people who all secretly long for a sense of belonging. Willett's other works include Those Who Serve, Thea's Parrot and The Courtyard.

The Chadwick siblings came from Kenya to live with their grandmother in Devon 30 years ago. Despite trials and tribulations, and many changes in their lives, the family home called the Keep, remains a sanctuary for the whole family.

Sarah feels a pang of jealousy for her friend Hattie's new found freedom, with her mill, a dog and an assortment of wildfowl. Sarah's adulterous husband tests her loyalty one last time, while Hattie develops a friendship with two local boatmen.