1952 A woman waits. She does not speak. Her past haunts and she cannot contemplate her future. She is watched over by nuns at a convent in south west France. Mute ever since she turned up at their door in the weeks following the defeat of Germany, her name is Adeline and she has a secret. 1940 Sebastian, a young Jewish businessman living in Limoges, has fallen in love with a local girl. But as the mood in the country darkens it seems their future is threatened. Ten-year-old Tristin and his family leave Paris for the safety of the French countryside.

They settle in a quiet village in the unoccupied zone where life appears unaffected by war. Adeline and her family run the small shop on the high street. As the war progresses their stories become entwined. And when a horrifying event rocks their peaceful village nothing will ever be the same.