Will Hastie has returned to the Scotland Borders after the war to start a new chapter in his life. But everything has changed. Will's childhood best friend, Rae Murray, will never come home, and his family will never be the same.

When Patty, Rae's sister, shows Will a last letter that Rae had written to her, Will decides to take action and the story unfolds from there. The language of the letter is mysterious enough that Will decides to travel to France and discover for himself the circumstances of Rae's death. His discovery there changes the lives of all those left behind by Rae.