It tells the tale of Emily Wilson's struggle to escape from a life of fear and poverty. Her journey takes her on a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows and to scenes of violence and death. She marries well and appears to prosper but an act of bitter betrayal sees her comfortable world come crashing down. Her hopes and dreams shattered, Emily strives to rebuild her life but a cruel twist of fate leads a policeman to link her to three deaths that have officially been deemed accidental and she is accused of murder. She finds a rare and valuable book and sees this as a way out, only to have a rival threaten her life unless she gives it to him. The book becomes pivotal in a deadly game of survival for Emily, as she tries to outwit her rival as well as the police.