In 1972 the Rehman family are ecstatic to welcome a male heir, Abdel, to join their five daughters. However, the happiness of the family is short-lived after tragedy strikes, hitting the family hard.
The five Rehman daughters have to grow up fast, looking after their newly born baby brother while at the same time adhering to their father's strict rules. This is not easy as they grow up in the UK, within a culture very different from that of their Pakistan-born father, who insists on upholding his traditional cultural values at the expense of his family.
The arrival of a pretentious stepmother changes their world in a heartbeat.
While one daughter, Saleena, discovers that the marriage her father arranged for her is loveless and abusive, her brother Abdel dabbles in western habits and needs to keep his private life secret.
This tense, compelling story about the effects of honour killing on a family takes the reader through twists and turns as the years go by.