The austere fifties are ending when Betty breezes through the door of the HudsonCafe in London's Soho, smack into the life of Harry Hudson who falls for her hook, line and sinker. He tells the story of their stormy, tender relationship. She causes him suffering; he retaliates with a punishing, crippling lie. Harry'stale is counterpointed by Betty who reveals her own history, with its terrible secrets. Everyone has a past, and when we fall in love we trundle it with us forour lovers to trip over - but no one has a past like Betty's. This first novel is a rare thing. The author creates a world and draws you into it and you're still there long after you've stopped reading.