Irene died before Iain was old enough to form memories of her. The layers of silence surrounding her death were so tightly bound that it has taken him decades to broach the topic with his father.

As Cunningham encounters long-lost relatives and Irene’s best friend, Lynn, he gets to know his mother through the stories they tell: life in Nuneaton in the 1970s; factory work and living for nights at the Co-op Hall and holidays.

Like putting pieces of a puzzle together, Irene’s personality comes to life.