Thirteen-year-old Th o and his friend Mathis have a secret. Their teacher, H l ne, suspects something is not right with Th o and becomes obsessed with rescuing him, casting aside her professionalism to the point of no return. C cile, mother of Mathis, discovers something horrifying on her husband s computer that makes her question whether she has ever truly known him. Respectable facades are peeled away as the four stories wind tighter and tighter together, pulling into a lean and darkly gripping novel of loneliness, lies and loyalties.