"The Vanishing Hours is a rare thing: a book shot through with compassion. Norris is more than a fine writer, he conveys a deep belief in humanity and its place in nature. This dreamlike, winding tale is a joy." (A. L. Kennedy)'Shot through with compassion . . . this dreamlike, winding tale is a joy.' A. L. KENNEDY This was how I heard the most important story of my life, the thing that decided me, the story that determined who I was in the end.At a hotel bar in a quiet English town, two strangers meet by chance and share their stories. Hers is of an inconspicuous life, shaken by heartbreak and scattered with unfulfilled dreams. His is of a dizzying journey, a never-ending quest to find someone he lost in his youth. From the blustery cliffs of Dover to the confines of a dark prison cell; from the courtroom witness box to the glories of the West End stage, we join him as he slips through time. But although his story will push credibility to its limits, what she has to reveal is far more surprising, and will take them to a place neither of them ? or you ? expected.From the bestselling author of FIVE RIVERS MET ON A WOODED PLAIN comes this captivating novel about love, abandonment, and the power of stories to help us find meaning in a confusing world ? a world that can sometimes threaten to overwhelm us, but one that is rich with possibility, and always full of wonder.