In this last instalment of the Guthrie's Lot series, it is now 2010. The original Guthrie cottage stands in ruins - except for the stone walls. Constance Macintosh - Mac - needs some space to recover from the loss of her mother and decides to renovate the cottage, turning it into a beautifully designed studio. There is just one thing that doesn't fit, a twisted old willow tree. Her designer mind wants to bulldoze it, and yet, she finds it somehow fascinating. With the help of Dan, a local builder, the house takes shape, but will Mac find the peace she seeks? And what will become of The Crying Tree?