Camellia Norton is orphaned at fifteen when her mother`s body is fished from a river in rural Sussex. And when she discovers a cache of letters amongst her mother`s effects she realises that the past she has always been so sure of has been built on a tissue of lies. Devastated, she runs away to London, and loses herself in a metropolis that offers opportunity, temptation and danger, especially to a young girl hungry for love and acceptance. But her past won`t stay buried forever, and eventually Camellia begins the long journey towards uncovering the truth about her background, and also, ultimately, about herself.