Andy Larkin is late. He is due at the funeral of his favourite schoolteacher, who once told him: "It's hard work being anyone". It's especially hard for Andy – stuck in a dead-end job, terminally short of cash and with a fiancee who is about to ditch him. When the funeral leads to an unexpected fortune, Andy has to ask himself: how far will he go to change his life? From early 20th-century Turkey to modern-day London, Nicholas Shakespeare takes us on an extraordinary journey that explores the temptations of unanticipated wealth, the secrets of damaged families and the price of being true to oneself. At once a love story spanning many decades and a tragedy of betrayal and missed opportunities.