A powerful story of abuse neglectand hope from this well-loved writer When a mysterious fire kills her adoptive parents Madeleine's worst fear comes true
- she & her beloved brother Oliver are separated Worse still Maddie is blamed for starting the fire & labelled a difficult child she is sent to a children's home Far from idyllic & buried deep in the countryside the home well conceals the misery of its young occupants Subjected to a harsh regime of abuse & degradation Maddie makes a brave attempt to escape But her brief weeks of freedom are thwarted when she is caught & taken back to River House Maddie clings to her determination to one day be reunited with Oli & it is this which gives her the strength to endure what lies ahead For she knows she can rely only on herself
- there is no one else to keep her safe