A stunning re-issue of bestselling author Hannah Richell's second novel: a mesmerising story of tragedy, lies and betrayal.

It comes out of the blue: a package with a letter and a key. Lila Bailey has no idea who, but someone has bequeathed her a remote lakeside cottage and the timing couldn't be better; with her marriage unravelling, the house offers the perfect escape.

Once there, Lila finds solace in renovating the old cottage, but something about it is unsettling and she wonders more and more about the previous inhabitants. Why did they leave in such a hurry, with their belongings still strewn about? And why can't she shake the feeling that someone is watching her? As a year at the lake unfolds, Lila uncovers long-forgotten secrets and discovers that the past can cast a very long shadow.

THE SHADOW YEAR is a story of secrets, tragedy, lies and betrayal. It's a tale that explores the light and dark of human relationships and the potential the past has to not only touch our present, but also to alter our future.