48 years in the same house, in the same room, with the same barred windows The Barred Windows is a psychological thriller packed with twists and turns from the bestselling author of The Ashes of London It is 1993 and Thomas Penmarsh has lived in Finisterre, the house by the sea, all his life, sleeping each night in the room with the barred window. He's only 48 but has been an old man since one evening in 1967 when he lost everything he valued. With the death of his controlling mother, Thomas finally becomes master of his own house. When Esmond, his cousin and childhood confidante, comes to live with him Thomas is overjoyed - Esmond always looks after him . . . But is Esmond all that he seems? And why is he so concerned that Alice wants to come home too? Darling Alice, whom neither have seen since that fateful night twenty-six years ago.