The protagonist and narrator is Dixie Diamond, the youngest (at the start of the novel) in a family of four sisters, who all have different fathers.

All her children are unhappy about this, especially the oldest, Martine, whose boyfriend Tony lives next door.

Meanwhile, there is a sub-plot about six-year-old Mary, a girl who comes from a more conventional upper-middle-class family, who turns out to be being mistreated.

Dave initially tried his best to support Martine and Sue, but left her when he was unable to cope raising a child.

Terry, an embalmer, was kind towards her and spent time talking to her and organizing the funeral arrangements.

Martine tries to take care of Sundance, her baby brother", but as there is a secret involved only Dixie knows, mother Sue makes sure to have the baby away from the rest of the family, which sadly is one of the reasons why Martine escapes, although she returns at the end of the book after hearing about Dixie's accident.

Her father, Dean, was abusive towards Sue, and even though she states that 'he could make my heart melt' she had to leave him.

Jude does not think much of her father, hence why she does not find any romantic interest in boys like her sisters Martine and Rochelle.

She has long blonde curly hair, a heart-shaped face and pouty lips, and likes to wear revealing, tight and sparkly clothes.

After they move to their new house she begins dating a sixteen year old boy named Ryan.

Her father is an embalmer called Terry, who Sue met while she was arranging her previous boyfriend Jordan's funeral.

[1] Christina Patterson, writing a profile about Jacqueline Wilson, commented on the story's similarities with her other works, saying it's "a compelling mix of gritty realism and warmth where the chaos is largely redeemed by love.