London, 1939. Fourteen-year-old Hazel and her little sister Flora are evacuated to the countryside to escape the ravages of war. In a stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel invents a magical world, Whisperwood, to comfort Flora. But when Flora vanishes without a trace, Hazel blames herself, carrying the guilt into adulthood.
Twenty years later, Hazel’s life in London seems secure: a promising career, a charming boyfriend, and a cozy flat. But everything changes when she receives an illustrated book, Whisperwood and the River of Stars—a story Hazel invented for Flora and told no one else.
Could this book be a clue to Flora’s fate? As Hazel’s quest for answers reignites old wounds, she must confront her past to uncover the truth—and reclaim her future.
