1860 - In a small town on Lake Ontario, at a time when an affluent young girl is forbidden to have any ambition of her own, Sarah defies her social-climbing mother to marry Joe, the Scottish farmer she loves, convinced he is the only man willing to help her succeed. Twelve years later, she is a mother of five boys, pregnant again, and trapped by Joe's failure when she discovers a shocking deception. Before learning the truth, tragedy strikes. Defying her mother once again, Sarah struggles to survive in a life controlled by the men around her. With secrets haunting her, she must eventually decide how far she will go to get what she wants-for her children-and for herself. The Last Secret reveals the dark underbelly of a genteel Victorian town and explores the insidious power of secrets.