NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST

A nearly flawless performance-a beautifully constructed, elegantly written book, delicate in its perceptions, powerful in its impact.-New York Times

The riveting story of four crucial days in the lives of four people sharing a rambling Victorian house, lying low and harboring secrets not meant to be shared

Theo Wait, a middle-aged former ballet dancer, and her brother, Anton, have taken in two boarders: beautiful Lynn, who never receives mail or visitors; and energetic and effusive Ouida, a Brazilian student and illegal alien who won't let complicated bureaucratic wrangles and constant fear of deportation taint her vision of America as the land of opportunity.

A faked identity, a search for one of the FBI's most wanted escaped prison convicts, and a Brazilian feast that spins out of control kick the plot into high gear. While each of these characters has been plagued by a sense of impending disaster, the terrible thing they've all been fearing comes from an entirely unexpected direction, shattering all of their lives.