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Ria, a solitary, middle-aged poet, was idly watching the river one night when she saw a swimmer. It wasn't just the time of day which was unusual, but the river was hardly clean – and then she heard a noise downstairs. In this remote part of Suffolk it wasn't unusual to leave doors unlocked and the following morning she realised that a loaf of bread had been stolen. It was strange that she didn't really feel fear, but when the visits and minor thefts continued she waited up to catch the swimmer, who stole small amounts of food – and played the piano like an angel.
The swimmer was Ben, a twenty-five-year-old doctor from Sri Lanka, asylum-seeker and illegal immigrant. He'd left his mother and girlfriend in Sri Lanka when he fled the sectarian fighting. The journey had cost the family all their money and had brought Ben to Suffolk via Russia. Ria was eighteen years his senior but the attraction between her and Ben was mutual, but it. It's not long before problems arise in the village. Not everyone is tolerant or understanding and one of the worst is Ria's brother. Are there terrorists in the area or is there an orchestrated campaign of hate?
The story is told from the point of view of three women – a lover, a mother and a daughter. They're three very distinct personalities who come off the page well with their own personal quirks – the mother who has a sharpness you might not expect and the daughter with difficulties coming to terms with what has happened. Their stories link together to provide the wider picture – and talking of wider pictures, the descriptions of Suffolk are breathtaking. You can feel the heat in summer and almost touch the snow in winter. When Ria tells her story you could guess that she is a poet and there's a subtle contrast when Anula and Lydia speak. The writing is exquisite.