A long-held secret, and a beautiful heart hoping to be understood. Cressida Tarbet loves her job at an animal rescue centre, even if it means she's resigned herself to scrimping to make ends meet - a lifestyle far removed from her best friend Ivo's, in his ancestral gatehouse stuffed with antiques and art.But although their upbringings were different, Ivo has held Cress's heart ever since she clapped eyes on him at university. The trouble is - she has never told him. So, when a mystery and a baffling crime throw Cress and Ivo together, she can't help but wonder if fate is telling her something.As the puzzle takes them from beautiful Yorkshire, to the stunning Isle of Wight, the pair get closer. Ivo begins to understand the cause of Cress's risk-aversion and she puts her irritation at his brilliant mind to one side as she starts to appreciate Ivo's uniqueness. But then the unthinkable happens and their worlds are turned upside down, and Cress has to wonder if fate was calling after all...