Menley and Adam Nichols are a New York couple who decide to change their residence because Menley considers himself guilty of the accidental death of their two-year-old son Bobby.  Adam is a brilliant criminal lawyer who chooses Cape Cod, on the coast, where he lived long ago, and they find a house where they want to have a new life with their young daughter Hannah. The place where they now live hides terrible secrets. In addition around the mother who still has strong feelings of guilt, a sinister conspiracy takes place. At the same time Adam takes care of a client suspected of murder.

The plot is interesting, entertaining, full of suspense, involves the reader from the beginning and has an unpredictable and dramatic ending. Cape Cod, where the action takes place, is a very pleasant place; in contrast, the atmosphere of the house is tense and at times disturbing. The past is intertwined with the present. The book, a bestseller, has been considered by critics as one of the author's best and was adapted to film with a successful movie.