A daughter's search for her mother's hidden past reveals long-kept secrets and lies that change both their lives forever Born out of wedlock in Dublin in 1937, Phyllis grows up in a brutal, church-run orphanage. She thinks that if she fulfils her dream of becoming a nurse in England, her life might change for the better. But the feelings of worthlessness instilled by the orphanage perpetuate a series of poor choices. Predisposed by her loveless childhood to a loveless marriage, Phyllis sees her life spiralling out of control, and her daughter, Sally, suffers the repercussions. As her mother's health deteriorates, Sally tries to understand why it seemed inevitable that her mother's life and her own would go so spectacularly wrong. Confronted by doubts, she asks questions about Phyllis's true identity. Who was she? Why was she abandoned? Sally needs to find the answers before it's too late. After a mission that lasts nearly a decade, searching archives and contacting countless organizations and anyone who will listen, Sally finally uncovers the truth and opens the door to a world so many of us take for granted.