Lil Noonan hasn't spoken a word since, and her grandmother Beth is worried that she plans to spend the rest of her life hidden away with only books for company. Beth, meanwhile, is trying to keep busy with the running of the local library and decides to make a fresh start by renting out her daughter's now-empty house to a newcomer in town.

Tom McLysaght tells the book club that he's eager to escape his high-flying life in London. Closer to the truth is that he's hiding a much bigger secret, one he can't escape from, no matter how hard he tries. As the months pass and the book club continues to meet, Beth starts to open up to the idea that the future might still have some happiness to offer to her grand-daughter - and to her as well.

But will they have the courage to reach for it? And will Tom trust them enough to reveal his secret?