Orkney heals
In the rugged beauty of Orkney, Harriet Wolff seeks refuge. An Oxford fellow ostracized after an affair with a student Harriet retreats to a restored croft owned by her loyal friend Anna and Anna’s manipulative husband, Martin. Surrounded by endless horizons and the whispers of a harrowing past, Harriet begins to confront her choices and the life she left behind.
The croft also becomes a base for a team of conservationists battling a stoat invasion that threatens the islands’ fragile birdlife. Kieran, a seasoned New Zealander; Ernest, a proud local; and Clem, Ernest’s uncertain nephew, each carry burdens of guilt, grief, and strained familial ties. As their stories intertwine with Harriet’s, the harsh beauty of the islands becomes both a balm and a mirror to their struggles.
Gabrielle Barnby paints an evocative portrait of human resilience and the ache of redemption against a backdrop of Orkney’s sweeping landscapes.
