Born in late Victorian England on her father's hop farm, Adeliza Golding lost her hearing and sight at a young age. Since then her life has been one of darkness and confusion; her only communication is with the ghosts she speaks to in her head, whom she has christened the Visitors. When a young hop-picker, Lottie, grabs her hand one day and starts drawing shapes, Liza can finally interact with the outside world. Liza's friendships with Lottie, who becomes her teacher, and Lottie's beloved brother Caleb lead her from the hop gardens and oyster beds of Kent to the dusty veldt of South Africa and the Boer War - and ultimately to the truth about the Visitors.