Grieving and suddenly alone in the world after the loss of her parents, Caitlin Maharg leaves Canada for the seashore of Northern Ireland on a whim to study with a well-known poet. As her feelings for him deepen, the complications of his life and the haunting of her grief threaten their future. It is time travel in two ways: as both a view into Northern Ireland in the 1990s and written with Caitlin's family history criss-crossing the story, The Most Cunning Heart is subtle and poignant with beautifully drawn characters, a novel about adultery, family, grief, creativity, and how a quiet heroine learns to liberate herself.