A traumatic experience forces Magda Zielinska to leave her hometown Kraków. She finds refuge with elderly relatives in Leicester. 
To distance herself from the horror of the recent incident, she seeks anonymity in altering her name. As Madeleine Greenwood, her new persona, she desperately hopes that her luck will change for a better future.
Life settles to a steadying routine of study and work, despite recurring nightmares and hounding memories. Then one day, Madeleine’s worst fear becomes a reality. She is faced with a most difficult dilemma. 
Will she ever rid herself of the terrifying tentacles of her past?
Will the man she loves stand by her once he knows the truth?
Can she ever achieve the longed-for peace in her life?