By Norway's bestselling novelist and the author of Norwegian Wood, this is a family story of epic scale. "An intricate story about war, family, secrets and, yes, wood... An engaging, satisfying read," says The Times. "So cleverly plotted, and it builds up such effortless dramatic momentum as it zeroes in on its conclusion," notes the Scotsman.

Edvard grows up on a remote mountain farmstead in Norway with his taciturn grandfather, Sverre. The death of his parents, when he was three years old, has always been shrouded in mystery—he has never been told how or where it took place and has only a distant memory of his mother. But he knows that the fate of his grandfather's brother, Einar, is somehow bound up with this mystery. One day, a coffin is delivered for his grandfather long before his death—a meticulous, beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Perhaps Einar is not dead after all. Edvard's desperate quest to uncover the truth begins.