Peacetime

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In late summer 1946, an isolated community on the Fenland Coast encounters James Mercer, a former captain now tasked with demolishing outdated gun platforms. As Mercer integrates into the community, he develops a relationship with the wife and daughter of a soldier expected home not from war, but from military prison, creating an atmosphere of tension. He also befriends Mathias, a German POW who prefers to remain in captivity, and Jacob, a Jewish survivor of the camps whose harrowing past Mercer gradually uncovers. The bond between Mathias and Jacob deepens, revealing shared histories amidst the community's anxieties. As the ex-soldier returns, he attempts to reassert his authority, disrupting the fragile dynamics. In a place seemingly untouched by time, the forces of destruction and renewal are at play, prompting each character to seek their own solid ground. As summer fades, tensions escalate, and long-held prejudices resurface, drawing the six main characters into a web of conflict. Each is bound by a rigid moral code, and Mercer finds himself at the heart of the unfolding drama, leading to a violent and unforeseen climax. The narrative powerfully conveys the lingering sense of uncertainty and the challenges of transitioning to peacetime in a community grappling with its past.