Philomena Webster, a quiet woman in her late forties, is seen as a dry old hag by most people in her village. She forms a friendship with a father and his son in the same village, but otherwise keeps to herself.

Yet, there is much more to Philomena than meets the eye. She has had love affairs, is knowledgeable about music and literature and has written a series of best-selling novels under a pen-name, which gives her financial independence.

Over time, however, she is haunted by a traumatic experience in the forest from her youth.

The story takes the reader through British and international history from the 1980s to today, but the main focus lies on Philomena’s emotional and intellectual development, along with the quest for truth in connection with what happened in the forest on that fateful day.