When Hazel witnesses suffragette Emily Davison stepping out in front of the king's horse she could never have imagined the impact this event would have on her own life. But this single incident would change Hazel's destiny forever . . .

Sweet but dull - that's how life has always been for Hazel Louise Mull-Dare.

But on the day of the Epsom Derby, June 4th, 1913, everything changes. A suffragette in a dark coat steps out in front of the King's horse, dying days later from her injuries.

Who was she and why did she do it?

Hazel is determined to find out. But finding out leads her into worse trouble than she could ever have imagined. It leads to banishment. To secrets that have festered, and a shame that lingers on. To madness and misunderstanding in the place where sugar cane grows.

Sweet but dull - that's how life used to be for Hazel Louise Mull-Dare.

Not any more.

Readers should simply give way to a good story expertly told from a writer who is herself happily unclassifiable.

The strength of this novel lies in its gently comic portrayal of characters seeking escape from the conventions and pretensions of pre-war Kensington life. There's a rich vein of social and political material to be found here; readers will also appreciate the hint of irony to be found in the characters' self-absorbed responses to momentous historical events.