Martin Ellingham,aLondon-basedsurgeon,relocatestothepicturesqueseasidevillageofPortWenn,establishinghimselfasthearea’sgeneralpractitioner.HegrewupintheareahavingbeenraisedbyhisnowwidowedAuntJoanNorton.HisreasonsforleavingLondonandthehigh-paidlifeofaconsultantarenotclearinitiallybutrelatedtoaphobiahehasrecentlydeveloped.Hesoonmeetsseveralofthelocalsandeccentricityabounds.Martin’ssituationismademoredifficultbywhatcanonlybereferredasanalmostcompletelackofanacceptablebedsidemanner.Heisgruff,abruptandintolerant,notonlyinissuesrelatedtomedicine,buttolifeingeneral.Heandtheheadmistressofthelocalschool,LouisaGlasson,areclearlyattractedtoeachotheranddespitetheirawkwardness,slowlydeveloparelationship.
