Disillusioned and depressed, Gregory Worthington sets off from Perth in search of inspiration. He arrives in Malta full of resolve to reignite a flagging writing career. Quaint surroundings, the potential of a love affair, and the antics and warm-heartedness of villagers he befriends fuel his imagination, but his writing brings him more disquiet and confusion than it is worth. 

What is inspiration, and what is the reality behind the disappearance of little Censinu
Mifsud, a ten year-old boy who was never found? There is a secret in the village, one Worthington resolves to unravel, to turn into a novel, despite warnings from a retired doctor and antagonistic parish priest. They are ambiguous about his involvement with a young Maltese woman, but are very clear about one thing: the author has no business nosing around his old rented farmhouse, looking for clues and disturbing the past.