Margaret Forster's grandmother died in 1936, taking many secrets to her grave. Where had she spent the first 23 years of her life? Who was the woman in black who paid her a mysterious visit shortly before her death? How had she borne living so close to an illegitimate daughter without acknowledging her?

The search for answers took Margaret on a journey into her familys past, examining not only her grandmother's life, but also her mothers and her own. The result is both a moving, evocative memoir and a fascinating commentary on how womens lives have changed over the past century.