Blinded in an attack in the aftermath of Irish independence, Rose Raven is living quietly with her brother. When she discovers he's involved in anti-government propaganda, she tells no one, even her lover Rudy.

When Ultan dies, Rose is the only person who knows where the shameful truth is hidden. Charting the dangerous first years of the Irish Free State, the novel tells the story of Rose's secrets, every one of them a risk to the success of the new Ireland.