Horace Winter doesn't have friends.

Ever since the long-ago day when the Very Bad Thing happened, he prefers to spend his time studying butterflies - less intimidating, less likely to disappoint. The last thing he wants is to retire from his job at the bank, but he has no choice - and now faces an endless number of empty days where he has nowhere to go and no one to need him. Then he receives some surprising news.

And he meets Amanda, and Max, and discovers a mysterious letter his father never posted. Suddenly he finds his previously unexceptional life filled with important things to do. Before he'd thought he had too much time.

Now he may be looking at not enough. But can he find the courage he's sought for so long to finally start living?