Discover this breathtaking debut novel of family secrets and searing atmosphere set over one long, hot summer on the New Zealand coast.

In the past, we had always spent our summer holidays in remote places. That had always been my mother's preference. This year was different . . .

As the long summer holiday stretches ahead, ten-year-old Alix wants to spend every second on the beach and in the water. But with her parents unusually distracted and her older sister now more interested in boys, she finds herself alone.

Then Alix meets Kahu.

He's on holiday too, and he lets her in on a secret: a few years ago, a little girl went missing and was presumed drowned. But no one ever found her body.

Suddenly, the summer has purpose. The two friends will find the missing girl and become local heroes.

But as their investigation progresses, Alix risks uncovering dark secrets about the neighbourhood - and her own beautiful family . . .