Something Rich and Strange

Laura Gibson has it all. She has Jack, her handsome husband, their two lovely kids and a brilliant legal career. Then, in the space of 24 hours, it all falls apart. Laura's law firm offers a coveted partnership to someone else. Rupert is expelled from school. Jack is charged with corporate fraud, and, in the process, has lost the family savings. But worse - he's having an affair...with Laura's sister. One hell of a day.

Something has to change. An old friend jokingly suggests she take up a vacancy as a country magistrate. In Pearl Bay. The tiny coastal backwater where she had enjoyed a perfect family holiday ten years before. Laura's decision is as swift as it is unexpected. With two confused kids and no husband, Laura races to Pearl Bay.

But a decade is a long time, even in a small town. The charming trestle bridge that linked Pearl Bay to the outside world is out. The little cottage she bought, sight unseen, on the strength of her memory of its solitude, is now surrounded by a caravan park. Then there is the response she gets from her first encounter with a local, the laconic Diver Dan. Redneck obtuseness or rough-diamond charm?