Despite her success as a writer, Maisie's life has never been easy. When she marries for the third time, her hopes of happiness are soon shattered by her husband Tommy's jealous behaviour. After an apparent tragic accident in London, Maisie reluctantly agrees to move back to her home town of Fellburn, Tyneside, where Tommy will start a new business.

At first, it is a fresh start for her family, but Tommy's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and one of his employees, a strange man nicknamed the Sand Dancer, strikes fear into her heart every time she meets him. Maisie begins to avoid Tommy's place of work, little knowing that he is concealing something so terrible that it could eventually destroy everything she holds dear.