Embarking on a restorative walking holiday in Germany following the breakup of his marriage, Futh spends his first night at a Hellhaus hotel run by Ester and her volatile husband Bernard. The latter takes a near-violent dislike to Futh, confusing him. As Futh walks in solitude along the Rhine, he is beset by memories - his abandonment as a boy by his mother, a trip to Germany taken with his recently divorced father, and his own early relationship with Angela, his ex-wife and the urgent sense of things left undone which could still have devastating consequences. Back at the hotel, Ester's behavior becomes increasing erratic, and when Futh returns for a final night's stay he is unprepared for the explosive confrontation awaiting him. Beautifully rendered, moving and ruthless, Alison Moore's Booker-shortlisted The Lighthouse is an unforgettable work of unsettling perfection.