Luke's father is dead and he feels his mother is moving on too quickly.

Since his father's death, Luke has changed his priorities, and has fallen into bad company.

His new friends persuade him to break into a house when its owner, an unfriendly and unlovable old woman, is out.

Once inside he is confronted with the sound of a girl crying, and through a locked keyhole sees a young girl standing alone, crying in despair.

Luke becomes drawn into finding out who the girl is, why she is in the house, and why she is so unhappy.

Finding the answers change all of their lives. Prize-winning author, Tim Bowler has won the Carnegie Medal, the Angus Book Prize (twice), and the Lancashire Children's Book Award.