'Delicate and dream-like' Orlaine McDonald

After a spell of misfortune, Mercy has a chance to start again.

A no-fault eviction led her to the world of house-sitting, and she has been moving from home to home, attempting to rebuild her life. With advice from mentor Ekua and a virtual network of fellow house-sitters, Mercy has garnered reviews that have yielded better opportunities. Now in what may be her last move in the UK, she is staying in Meadowlight, a refurbished cottage in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Her new routine provides structure. Water the plants. Feed the cats. Teach maths online. The house offers time to reflect on past relationships, reconnect with friends and imagine a new future.

With a good review, she could stay in similar houses overseas. She could travel and pursue her passion for photography. But every house, even one as tranquil as Meadowlight, has its own stories. The homeowner, an art collector, is making her presence known, even in her absence. And now the three cats have disappeared . . .

From award-winning author Sussie Anie, In Meadowlight is a strikingly original and beautiful novel about transience and belonging, friendship, solitude and love.