Janet Roberts and her brother James are at the mercy of their father's foul mood swings, especially on Wednesdays, when he returns from his third nightshift of the week, angry and red-eyed, looking for trouble. But they can always lose themselves in Janet's stories of ghosts and gypsies, or visit their boozy Aunt Net, who welcomes them with open arms as long as they make a visit to the off licence first. Then, in the course of one summer on their Oxford council estate, everything changes. A young girl is found murdered in the park near their house. James disappears, Aunt Net goes off the rails, and Janet's mother is hospitalised. Janet is left to fight her battles alone, with only her quick wits and vivid imagination to help her through.