An absorbing, fast-paced story set on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand in the late 1970s. The two main characters are Howard Andrews, a 20-ish local news reporter who is on the trail of alleged UFO sightings in the area; and Shirley Ryecroft, a middle-aged widow who receives an unexpected visit from an Englishman claiming to be the penfriend she corresponded with many years ago. The narrative and dialogue of this novel are rendered easily and naturally in the Kiwi vernacular of the time. Embedded in the story are subtle layers with implications that range beyond the surface of the plot. A very worthwhile read.