Nora was a poor Irish girl in the 19th century who was destined to live as the dutiful wife to a domineering husband. Unable to speak much English and without her own money, she remained unhappily in Beggarman's Cottage, so-called by later generations as it becomes a place of shelter for the homeless. In the spring of 1967, Alison takes refuge in the cottage from her similarly abusive husband, who spends his money on alcohol and refuses to allow his wife to work. Nora watches on, bound to the dilapidated cottage, as Alison begins to take steps to free herself and her young son Connor from her husband Graham's control. Vivienne Dockerty vividly recreates the landscape of her own childhood on the Wirral and crafts a spooky tale that will satisfy fans of ghost stories and historical fiction alike.