Peter Grainger, 43 – failed writer, failed teacher, failed husband, failed everything – decides to gamble the last of his money on a final attempt to produce that elusive second novel. He takes a lease on a cottage in a remote Welsh valley, hoping to find the peace and quiet that he thinks he needs. Instead he becomes drawn into the lives of the people that own and work on the Afon estate. As he gets to know Helen Miller, the wife of the owner, and as her story too unfolds, Grainger is forced to confront the true nature of his relationship with Alan and Ann, the married couple who have been his closest friends since their university days. As these two apparently separate worlds converge, Grainger begins to appreciate the wild beauty of the Welsh river valley – and the threat posed to it all by one of the Afon estate’s own employees. Over this one summer, lives take new directions, and Grainger, much to his surprise, plays a leading role in those changes. Through it all runs the lovely river Athi, its changing moods reflecting the experiences of those that inhabit the valley.

Lots of readers would consider this to be literary fiction. The author makes no such claim but does suggest that if you like to have action, excitement and drama on every page then you should download something else.