"Martin Kreutzel and his seriously ill sister, Elizabeth, are as close as grown siblings can be - they share a steadfast bond. However, she lives on the outskirts of London, and he lives far away in a small Pennsylvania town where he and his wife teach at the local college and are raising their two kids in a neighborhood that's safe but uninspiring. Gradually Elizabeth's cancer worsens, and Martin, who hates the thought of life without her, finds it hard to focus on his daily routine at work and at home.

When Elizabeth's husband, Richard, disappears and one of Martin's students hangs herself, Martin struggles between helping his sister and being a good husband, father, and professor. After he travels to London to join his sister, the situation sprawls into something far more complex and mysterious than Martin ever could have expected."--BOOK JACKET.