A powerful story of revolution, love and intense rivalry set in 1870 during the four-month siege of Paris. The Crimson Petal and the Whitemeets Les Miserables. Mrs Elizabeth Pardy is a brilliant writer, a steely adventuress and a formidable opponent. But her shining star throws a long shadow, and her children, Hannah & Clement, suffer deeply in its wake. So when Hannah sees the opportunity to escape her overbearing mother she grabs it with both hands and flees to Paris. But Paris is doomed. Europe's capital of decadent pleasure and luxury is becoming a prison as the Prussians are determined to bring the city to its knees. So when Elizabeth receives a letter suggesting her daughter is in grave peril because of her affair with the City's hero the pull of an extraordinary story is too great and Elizabeth and her son rush to Hannah's side.

In a city where the lights are fading, food is running out, and everyone has an agenda, even the brightest beacons glimmer falsly. Full of loathing for her mother and devoted to her lover, Hannah is Hannah blind to the truth that may shatter her hopes and threaten her life. Can her family help her see the light before it is too late or are they the very reason she is in danger?.