On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more.

Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fotini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion.
She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip...

Clearly a lot of research went into this book and it shows. I’ve never before heard of Spinalonga and the leprosy colony but I definitely feel like I know a lot about it now. In fact, sign me up to visit - I’d love to see it! I loved being a part of their little community. Despite the tragedy and disease that surrounded them, I actually wanted to be part of it at times although I have no doubt it must have been so utterly awful being trapped like that counting down the days until the ultimate ending.