The story is set in 1943. Maximilian Carver decides to move his family out of the city and to a beach house where he believes they will be safer and away from the war. The beach house has been standing empty for some time. The previous owners, who had the house built, had moved away after their young son had drowned.
When out riding around town on a bike, Max, the middle child of the family, meets Roland who is the grandson of Victor Kray, the local lighthouse keeper. Roland shows Max around and they arrange to meet the next day to go diving around 'Orpheus' a local shipwreck. Max takes his older sister Alicia along and the three become friends.
Victor Kray was the sole survivor when 'Orpheus' hit rocks in a thunderstorm and sunk almost 25 years ago. He was so grateful for the help he received and, to ensure all future boats in the area were kept safe, Victor built the lighthouse and became its keeper.
Not everything is quite as it seems. There is mystery around the boat and its passengers - no bodies were ever found. Max finds a locked garden area behind their house which contains statues of a circus troupe set out at points of a star within a circle - he is sure that they change position. Strange voices and noises are heard within the new house. Max is certain that Victor is not telling them the whole story about the shipwreck, but is keeping back some important information. As more strange things start to happen and lives suddenly become at risk, Max must try to find out what it is that Victor knows.
This is not a very long book but is an interesting and engaging story. I have previously read, and very much enjoyed, 'The Shadow of the Wind' and 'The Angel's Game' which are both longer and more complex stories. I have 'The Prisoner of Heaven' on my bookshelf.
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