An old farm, a deserted landscape, a dark secret from times past with fatal consequences for the present. In the tranquil northern seaside town of Scarborough, a student is found cruelly murdered. For months, the investigators are in the dark, until they are faced with a copy-cat crime.

Samson Segal, an unemployed 30-something, has taken to spying on his neighbours, particularly beautiful Gillian Ward. When Gillian's daughter comes home to an empty, locked house, Samson takes her in but finds himself venting his anger in his diary when his actions go unappreciated, unaware that his sister-in-law cracked his password long ago. When Gillian's husband is then murdered in his own home, Samson comes under intense scrutiny but the only man making any progress in the case shouldn't be working on it. Yet he's the only one who believes Samson is innocent.

Prvotina teprve 21leté německé autorky, která se okamžitě stala bestsellerem. Děj románu se odehrává v období vzestupu a pádu Olivera Cromwella, známého Lorda protektora, odpůrce monarchie. Na trpkých osudech mladé Heleny a jejích přátel a příbuzných autorka ukazuje nejistotu politických převratů a kořeny války a míru. Mladá sedmnáctiletá Helena zpočátku žije svojí první láskou a blížící se svatbou, vzápětí po ní je však tvrdě konfrontována s realitou.