Summer of 1997. Alec Valentine returns to his childhood home in West Country to take care of his mother, Alice, who is seriously ill. In San Francisco, his older brother Larry is preparing to return as well, knowing that he will struggle to hide from his own the fact that his television career is declining and his marriage is in danger.

On the other hand, everything seems to be going well for Hungarian playwright Laszlo Lazar, whose work Alec is translating. Laszlo has a comfortable home in Paris, professional success, a tender romantic bond, and many good friends. However, he cannot shake off the memory of the 1956 uprising or the cry for help that he did not respond to at the time.

And these four characters find themselves at a decisive turning point in their lives, called to face a new challenge, to participate in an act of redemption - although not necessarily the one they expect. In this beautiful and powerful novel, Andrew Miller's heroes struggle with sex, love, death, seeking happiness as well as the answer to the burning question: what is the real price of human success?