It tells the story of a pandemic that shuts down London, and a group of three teenagers that survive the outbreak.

The book takes an apocalyptic view and details the experiences of the three principal characters at the end of the year 1999, as the plague wipes out the population of London in the course of a few weeks.

The book has two sequels set 100 years later called Come Lucky April (also published as After the Plague) and Watchers at the Shrine, which did not receive as much praise as the first by some readers.

There he discovers a feminist community founded by Fran's friend Harriet, who was sexually harassed in the original book.

Watchers at the Shrine is set several years later and follows April's son, Hal, when he is sent to live in his father's community to avoid the ritual castration.