A mother will do anything to protect her son.
But what if the danger is already inside the family?

Dawn Glover has spent decades trying to escape the fire that killed her little sister. Now living in the quiet coastal town of Dalkey with her husband Adam, she has built the life she always wanted: a beautiful home, a small yoga studio, and a son she loves more than anything.

Then Maeve walks into her studio.

Young, beautiful and clearly in trouble, Maeve seems like the kind of woman Dawn has always been drawn to: lost, frightened, and in need of saving. When Dawn later sees her being dragged through the street by a furious man, she knows she should keep her distance. Instead, she steps in.

At first, helping Maeve feels harmless. A kind word. A cup of coffee. A chance to help a troubled young woman escape whatever she is running from.

But Maeve’s story doesn’t add up.

There are lies in her past, gaps in her explanations, and moments when she seems to know far more about Dawn’s family than she should. Adam thinks Dawn is overreacting. Nicholas thinks his mother needs to let go. But Dawn can feel something closing in around them.

And when Nicholas returns home with news that changes everything, Dawn’s carefully controlled life begins to fall apart.

Because Maeve isn’t just a stranger with secrets.

She is the match waiting for the right house to burn.