The villa in Capri was only occupied one week a year in July-that was when the Lingate family took a transport boat to the island and did the things only the ultra-rich can do. In July, Capri crawls with tourists, local residents, and arrivistes but the Lingates have nurtured their wealth through several generations and understand the importance of maintaining it. That way, when trouble hits, it's not hard to head it off in the press, social media, and even at the police station. And there was always trouble.
Members of the family included Marcus, the older brother, who knew how to schmooze and make nice, his alcoholic wife Naomi, his younger brother Richard, and Richard's daughter, Helen. Helen's mother Sarah, a New York playwright, died in a fall over the island cliffs, three years after Helen was born. The family speculated that it was accidental or self-inflicted (Sarah wanted a divorce and Richard wouldn't allow it) but the police and the townspeople saw a more sinister reason for her death. Of course the investigation ended abruptly.
Since then, Helen was a virtual prisoner in their house in Bel Air-she wasn't allowed any freedom, friends, jobs, spending money, or alone time, unless she just stayed in her room, which she did a lot. She had fond memories of her babysitter on the island-she was the only one who gave her love and affection, and told her about her mother who Richard neve discussed.
As a young woman, the one thing that she was allowed to do was walk a hiking trail near her university and that's where she met Lorna. A woman about her age, Lorna became her friend and confidant, and when Marcus needed a personal assistant, Helen recommended her and she got the position. She was invited for their annual week in Capri, but of course Lorna had to make all of the arrangements and was always expected to be on call-it was hardly a vacation. But Helen has plans for Lorna-she believed that her mother really had been murdered, and by someone in the family. If Helen could co-opt Lorna in helping find proof that they did it, they could blackmail the brothers and get some well needed cash-they both could use it. The plan was working, but then Lorna disappeared.
The story is told by the various characters on the island, and in multiple flashbacks- when beginning the novel, it's best to make sure you note the chapter heading which also reveals who's narrating. Nothing is as it seems, everybody is hiding something, and I guarantee the reader will reread the novel a few times to help puzzle it out. As Helen's boyfriend says, "we are all two people." Hays' novel goes a long way towards proving it.
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