The novel begins with 12-year-old sisters Annie and Grace playing a game of "Tracking" (an elaborate version of hide-and-seek) with their father on the beach during a rising tide. As a storm rolls in, Grace disappears, appearing to have been swept away by the ocean. The narrative follows the frantic search for her, complicated by bad weather and the suspicions that fall on those who were nearby that night.
Without delving into spoiler territory, the narrative of Falling From Grace begins with an idyllic family holiday by the coast. Godwin excels at setting the scene—the isolation of the beach house, the rhythm of the tides, and the freedom of the Australian summer. falling from grace jane godwin pdf