It s 1920, and Ellie Valentino is just like any other happy five-year-old growing up in Birkenhead. Although her father is dead, and her mother works hard, Ellie s grandmother Bridie is always there to provide a welcoming hug when the little girl returns from school. But, one tragic day, Ellie s secure world is suddenly torn apart with the mysterious death of her mother, and Ellie is forced to live with her uncle Mick, a man with a violent temper.

As the years pass, Ellie s yearning to know the truth about her mother's death never fades - it even casts a shadow over her blossoming romance with childhood friend, Franco Baldini. For Franco knows more about that fateful day than he dares admit, especially to Ellie. Can their love survive when Ellie longs to uncover events that Franco is desperate to forget? And will Ellie ever find out what really happened to her mother?