威廉·特雷弗，愛爾蘭當代文學巨匠，被廣泛是認為當代英語世界最傑齣的短篇小說大師之一。

威廉·特雷弗1928年生於愛爾蘭科剋郡米切爾斯敦一個中産階級新教傢庭，在外省度過瞭童年時代，後到都柏林大學聖三一學院曆史係求學。他先後做過雕塑傢、教師、廣告公司文案。從1954年起，他和妻子移居英國。

自1958年齣版第一部長篇小說《行為標準》以來，威廉·特雷弗已創作瞭近二十部中長篇小說、數百部短篇小說，還著有多部戲劇劇本、童書及散文集。他先後三次獲得英國惠特布雷德圖書奬，五次入圍布剋奬（最近一次為2009年的《愛情與夏天》）。2002年，英國女王伊麗莎白二世授予他騎士爵位。2008年，他獲得愛爾蘭圖書奬終身成就奬。

The stunning new novel from highly acclaimed author William Trevor is a brilliant, subtle, and moving story of love, guilt, and forgiveness. The Gault family leads a life of privilege in early 1920s Ireland, but the threat of violence leads the parents of nine-year-old Lucy to decide to leave for England, her mother's home. Lucy cannot bear the thought of leaving Lahardane, their country house with its beautiful land and nearby beach, and a dog she has befriended. On the day before they are to leave, Lucy runs away, hoping to convince her parents to stay. Instead, she sets off a series of tragic misunderstandings that affect all of Lahardane's inhabitants for the rest of their lives.