From the highly acclaimed author of The Photographer of the Lost, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick, comes a tale of a young war widow and one life-changing, sun-drenched visit to Cornwall in the summer of 1923...

1923. Esme Nicholls is to spend the summer in Cornwall. Her late husband Alec, who died fighting in WWI, grew up in Penzance, and she’s hoping to learn more about the man she loved and lost.

While there, she will stay with Gilbert, in his rambling seaside house, where he lives with his former brothers in arms. Esme is nervous at first to be the only woman in this community of eccentric artists and former soldiers. But as she gets to know the men and their stories, she begins to feel this summer might be exactly what she needs.

But everything is not as idyllic as it seems – a mysterious new arrival later in the summer will turn Esme’s world upside down, and make her question everything she thought she knew about her life, and the people in it.

Full of light, laughter and larger-than-life characters, The Visitors is a novel of one woman finally finding her voice and choosing her own path forwards.

Praise for Caroline Scott:

‘A page-turning literary gem about grief, loss and the impact of war on those left behind’ The Times, Best Books of 2020

'A touching novel of love and loss' Sunday Times

'There's only one word for this novel… and that's epic… A beautifully written must-read' heat

'A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and the ones they left behind' Sarra Manning, RED

‘Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel’ Good Housekeeping

‘A heartbreaking read… I highly recommend it’ Anita Frank

'Breathtaking exploration of loss, love and precious memories’ My Weekly, Pick of the Month

‘Achingly moving and most beautifully written’ Rachel Hore

‘This beautiful book packs a huge emotional punch’ Fabulous

‘Drew me in from the first line and held me enthralled until the very end' Fiona Valpy

‘Quietly devastating' Daily Mail

'A compulsive, heart-wrenching read' Liz Trenow

‘Powerful’ Woman & Home

'Page turning, mysterious, engrossing and compelling' Lorna Cook

‘A carefully nuanced, complex story’ Woman’s Weekly

‘Caroline Scott evokes the damage and desolation of the Great War with aching authenticity' Iona Grey

‘Poignant’ Best

'Momentous, revelatory and astonishing historical fiction!' Historical Novel Society

‘Wonderful and evocative’ Suzanne Goldring

‘Based on true events, this is a powerful story’ Bella

‘Immersive, poignant, intricately woven’ Judith Kinghorn

‘An evocative read’ heat

‘The story left me breathless. Powerful, heartrending, and oh so tender’ Kate Furnivall

‘Tense and compelling’ Lancashire Post

‘Scott litters her tale with clues and red herrings in the best mystery-writer way so we are kept guessing as to where the truth really lies’ The BookBag

‘A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind’ Fanny Blake, author of A Summer Reunion

'I was utterly captivated by this novel, which swept me away, broke my heart, then shone wonderful light through all the pieces' Isabelle Broom, author of One Winter Morning