In 1929, Laura Cumming's mother, Grace, then a three-year-old, was kidnapped from a Lancashire beach. She was found healthy and happy five days later in a nearby town, and no one was charged with the crime. Soon after, her name was changed from Grace to Betty. Using these spare facts and a family photo album, Cumming embarks on an investigation into her aging mother's origins, which had remained mysterious for half a century. Five Days Gone is a true literary detective story that's as compelling and surprising as it is tender and poignant.