Summary

Chapter 1 opens in a small town in the English countryside, where the entire novel takes place. It is January, and a 13-year-old girl named Rebecca Shaw has gone missing. The police have formed several large search parties to look for her. Rebecca and her parents are from London, but they had come to the town on holiday. While the police search for her, her parents stay in the home of the Hunter family. Rebecca is not found, and the local vicar, Jane Hughes, holds a special church service for the community. Rebecca’s disappearance seems to have occurred near reservoir 13, so the police search in and around the reservoir, but they still do not find her. Months pass, and Rebecca is not found. A piece of unrelated good news arrives: Su Cooper has finally become pregnant after trying for a long time. Su is...