There is a dire warning never to peep out at them. There are stories of people who succumbed to their voices and walked out into the night, never to be seen again. But Rilka, frustrated by the culture of her people, is determined to catch a Beguiler and solve the mystery of their existence and so she embarks on an adventure that will change her life, and the lives of those around her, for ever. This novel confirms Kate Thompson's position as a writer of rare imagination and power.