Eleven-year-old Michael Murray has heard a secret, one that might explain the bruises on his mother’s face. When the whispers at home and on the street become too loud to ignore, he begins to wonder if there is an even bigger secret waiting to be discovered. Scared of what might happen if anyone finds out, and desperate for life to be normal again, Michael sets out to piece together the truth.

After their parents die, sisters Marnie and Nelly are on their own. Only they know what happened to their parents, and they aren't telling. When Lennie, the old man next door, realizes his young neighbors are alone and need help, he offers to take them in. But questions from their friends, teachers and the authorities soon threaten to bring dark secrets about the girls' family to the surface.