It's a book club born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members are discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island. Juliet Ashton, a London writer, converses in letters with the Society's members, learning about their lives, their island, their taste in books, and the impact that the recent German occupation has had on all of them. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail to meet these people with whom she has found connection.