Description
In the dark sitting-room of a dilapidated house, as a storm rages outside, Matthew lights a candle and places it in the centre of the floor. Its light spreads across the wall and illuminates Sophie, tied to a chair, facing him. She’s frightened: fearful of what he might do next. But for now, it seems all Matthew wants to do is talk. Talk about the events of twenty years ago, about their strange and fascinating childhood, and about the summer when Sophie grew up and everything changed… forever.
In the past, Mattie and Sophie live in a world seemingly without constraints. Their cold mother barely pays attention to her children; their father is a mere shadow in their lives. Mattie and his sister have the run of the gardens and the woods beyond. They play games, have make-believe adventures; but all the time, Sophie’s extraordinary intelligence is visible to Mattie, though she takes great pains to hide it from the adults in their world. Mattie worships her, but is never sure what really goes on inside her brilliant mind.
Finally, the summer before she’s to be sent to boarding school, everything Sophie has worked so hard to conceal comes spilling out – and Mattie is left reeling from the shocking consequences.
Now, twenty years later, Mattie’s all grown up too; and he wants answers to the questions that still darken his mind – no matter what the cost…
So good that one can only wonder what he will do next – The Times
