Tristan Hughes pieces together memories of childhoods and uncovers the secrets and betrayals of friendship with thoughtful, shocking brilliance. In a remote Welsh village by the sea, four friends grow up together. Plain but charismatic Del is the ringleader, unstoppable, supremely confident. Neil, shy and stuttering, and Ricky, full of rage and loneliness, are misfits until Del takes them under her wing. Steph is the outsider, but she, too, is mesmerized by Del. Together they muck about in the woods, searching for treasure on the seashore, doing dares, sharing cigarettes. Then, one terrible day, the gang is broken up for good.

Ten years later, Neil, Ricky and Steph revisit their childhood haunts and relive the memories that have cast a shadow over their lives. Del is the beating heart at the centre of their stories and, at the same time, a gaping absence.

“A beautiful novel, rich in the complexities of childhood love and obsession, of adult remorse and the insatiable yearning for absolution.” — Madeleine Thien, author of Certainty

“Hughes is a very good writer.” — Times Literary Supplement