Forced out of work in England during the depression, young Max Caddick makes his way down to Italy to see more of the art that has always fascinated him. Fifty years later, recent graduate Paul Caddick goes to Florence to teach English and hopes to find out more about his mysterious Italian grandmother. Once there, he is surprised to find that mention of the family name provokes hostility and it is soon clear that most people would prefer the past to remain forgotten. Undeterred, Paul discovers that the family history is darker than he could have ever imagined.