After encountering a barn owl roosting in an old oak near their Devon home, Miriam Darlington and her teenage son Benji embark on a mission to find every species of owl in Europe. They travel to France, Spain, Serbia and Finland – but when Benji is struck with a mystery illness, the quest becomes entangled with the search for a cure. Blending memoir and nature writing, Miriam also reflects on the roles that owls have played in human culture.