John and Mary Sijtsma spend their holidays each year on the Costa Blanca, staying in one of the apartments owned by their friends Susan and Bill Bradley. Mary enjoys spending time with them at the bar. John, however, seeks a different kind of holiday. He wants to enjoy everything the Costa Blanca has to offer, together with his wife — without Bill and Susan getting in the way. John has a strong dislike for Bill. Mary sees things differently, and as a result, John increasingly feels isolated. He becomes obsessed with his mysterious holiday neighbour, whom he privately calls Mermaid. Then, suddenly and without warning, Bill vanishes without a trace.Joke Burink (1961) was born and raised in Amsterdam and worked as a teacher for twenty-five years before publishing her first children’s book. She later wrote for a newspaper and published several other works, including Ode aan de Limerick, written under the pseudonym T. Hola. Her thrilling debut novel for adults, One-Way Ticket to the Costa Blanca, was first published in Dutch at the end of 2020. In 2022, the sequel Return to the Costa Blanca followed. For both books, the author drew inspiration from her favourite hideaways along the Costa Blanca.