Hannah Kirk and Alice Moran have been friends since childhood. Growing up in the back streets of historic Chester at the beginning of the 1900s they are used to supporting each other when family life gets tough. But when Alice's mother dies in childbirth, Hannah fears for her friend, as she will be left to protect her sensitive brother Kenny from her father's violent and cruel temper. Hannah was right to worry what might become of Alice. The only witness to a violent crime, Alice is forced to go on the run. The crime's perpetrator is Malcolm Moran--Alice's father; the victim is Susannah Kirk--Hannah's mother. Torn apart through circumstance, can the two girls ever be free of the weight of the past, or will the years of guilt and pain that now separate their lives become too much of an obstacle to overcome. Step by Step is a touching family saga from an accomplished and popular writer.