Grinding poverty and violence are an everyday part of life in Glasgow's slums during the 1920s. No one is more aware of this than Josie Collins whose mother's death has left her alone with her abusive father. But Josie has a dream that one day she'll escape and become a reporter for one of the city's newspapers. Geographically it's not a big move but socially it's a million miles. However disaster strikes when Josie reaches sixteen. She is taken advantage of and left facing an unwanted pregnancy. Forced to give up her baby, she starts a new life under her mother's maiden name. After a long struggle, Josie achieves her dream and even enjoys a close friendship with a male colleague. But, just when Josie starts to trust the happiness she's found, the past catches up with her, threatening everything she has worked so hard to achieve.