Greece, 1930s. A young British diplomat and his wife have been posted to Athens. But while Hugh Timberlake thrives on the endless parties and socialising, his spirited and unconventional wife Evadne finds her life as an embassy wife stifling. When they go to Crete on holiday to stay in a run-down house owned by Hugh's family, Evadne falls in love with the place, deciding to stay on when Hugh returns to his duties. As she tries to rebuild the ramshackle home, Evadne makes firm friends with Anthi, a woman from the village, and Christos, the handsome and charismatic man employed to work on the house. But the dark clouds of war are gathering, and the little island will become a crucible of violence and bloodshed in the days to come. For Evadne, her friends and family, it will be the greatest test they have ever known.
