44-year-old Harmonie Blake visits her mother only to discover her dead. Distraught at the loss of her only remaining family member, she begins the arduous task of sorting out her mother's affairs and coping with her grief. The more she digs into her mother's tumultuous past, the more she realizes how little her mother shared. She follows one clue and traces her mother's life when she served in the British Army in the London Theatre of War. Through Harmonie's narrative, the story turns to the war-torn streets of London. There, Helen's relationships change her life. Would her sense of independence and courage be enough for her to survive failed romances, danger, and death-and Helen's attempts to shed her Cockney roots and family secrets for a better life? Can Harmonie connect to the real spirit of her mother-and will she find peace in finally letting go of a woman she has only just begun to understand?