After receiving a call from her estranged half-sister Lena, the life of heiress Mauve Gilcrest begins to unravel. Mauve discovers Lena's flat covered in blood but finds no body-only a doll linked to a murder eight years earlier, that of Paulette Franklin. Haunted by fragmented memories of the crime, Mauve is forced to confront her dark past.

When the police investigation implicates her in the murders of both Paulette and Lena, Mauve goes on the run. Charlie Morrison, her legal advisor and only true friend, tries in vain to convince her to turn herself in. Her son Kit insists on accompanying her and persuades Lena's daughter, Eliza, to join them. However, Mauve distrusts Eliza, suspecting that her niece, in collusion with an uncle, murdered Lena and is attempting to frame her.

As photographs of them appear in the press, Kit uses his skills as a make-up artist to alter his mother's appearance. Taking things further, Kit's glamorous alter-ego, Veronica, steps in to take his place on their journey. With nowhere left to hide and unsure of whom she can trust, Mauve must finally confront her demons.