A light-hearted true story taking the reader back to 1963, a year etched in history by significant events, against which the daily life of the Burgess family unfolds. This is a year with one of the coldest winters on record, mostly endured without the luxury of central heating. Sir Alec Douglas-Home was elected as Prime Minister, and President Kennedy was assassinated. The Mod scene was on the rise, and the Beatles were idolised as they reached new heights with their music.

Ann Burgess and her friends attend Dartford Technical High School, situated on Dartford Heath. The school is split between a beautiful old Manor House, an imposing Grange and a large new building built within the grounds. Ann and her friends try to cope with the various dilemmas and disasters that befall them during a year when elopement and even murder are lurking around the corner.