A brilliant novel from the author of 'Notes from an Exhibition' — that follows three genrations of an unusual family as they confront the harsher facts of modern life. A young composer, Edward Pepper, is exiled from his native Germany by the war, struck down with TB, and left to languish in an isolation hospital. But then he falls in love with his doctor, Sally Banks, and his world is transformed. They set up home in a bizarre dodecahedral folly, The Roundel, left to Sally by her eccentric mentor. But despite building a successful career and finding security with Sally, Edward is haunted by memories of his Jewish family, who he was forced to leave behind in Germany. When he receives news that his sister has been found alive, it sets in motion a train of tragic events that will test him and his new family. Years later, Edward watches from the sanctuary of The Roundel as his grandchildren encounter their own difficulties. Jamie and Alison both fall prey to the charms of Sam, an enigmatic builder, and as they struggling to keep their family intact, they are forced to come to terms with some of the tougher facts of life.