In 1950's America, in a small self-contained multi-national immigrant community, a girl of tender age, Irene, was murdered. In school, at home and in the community the murder was thereafter never mentioned. This true account is narrated from the viewpoint of the author, a class mate of the murdered girl. Now an adult, Mary-Ann relives her childhood with her generous, capable and caring father, intelligent and fragile mother, and her autistic special needs savant elder brother, Tyler.