Manchester, 1867

Mara longs for a peaceful life free of violence and poverty. But she has married into the O'Hara family, who have a reputation for drunkenness and quick tempers. Her eldest stepson Conrad is the worst of them all - a brute and a criminal who makes Mara's life a misery.

But when Conrad is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Mara is the only one who can prove his innocence. Perhaps this is her chance to finally free her family from his toxic influence . . .

Will Mara clear Conrad's name, or will she have the courage to break away from her stepson's villainy?