The story follows two sisters, Erica and Beth Calcott, who return to their childhood home, , after the death of their grandmother. The "distant time" isn't just a metaphor; the manor is a graveyard of secrets dating back to the early 1900s.
: The plot weaves between the present day and the year 1905, following the story of Caroline , their great-grandmother. Her life in the Oklahoma Territory and her eventual arrival at Storton Manor provide the "distant" historical context that mirrors the sisters' current struggles.
: Webb excels at making the manor feel like a character itself—cold, imposing, and filled with "echoes."