Midwich is a sleepy commuter town in contemporary southern England, and a great place to bring up children. One September evening a part of the town falls suddenly falls unconscious. Humans, animals, all pass out on their feet; without warning, without reason. For twelve hours no one can get into the Blackout Zone. No phones work, satellite cameras can’t see in, and what is happening inside is a total mystery. Then suddenly everything returns to normal. But not quite. Every woman of child bearing age has fallen pregnant. The spawn of these pregnancies are The Midwich Cuckoos, a group of chillingly unusual “children”. They will change this community forever, dividing loyalties, threatening lives both within the town and beyond and requiring a terrifying sacrifice in order to prevent them causing catastrophe.