Three teenagers meet in Florence, intent on unearthing secrets. For Jade and her twin sister Amber, it's a family matter, trying to find out the truth about their Italian grandfather, who has just died. But they have no idea what a can of worms they are opening as they delve into a past full of betrayal, murder, sex and love.

Nico's quest interweaves with the girls' as he searches for the true identity of E J Holm, the author of the detective thrillers he devours. The victims and the killers in Holm's books all seem to be linked to the Partisans who resisted the Fascists in Italy in World War Two.

Gradually, Jade discovers that her grandfather's secrets are linked to that too. Who is E J Holm really? And what is his connection with the girls' grandfather?