Family Likeness explores identity, race, and family secrets. The story follows Muriel Grey, the daughter of a white Englishwoman and an African American soldier stationed in England during World War II. Abandoned by her mother at a children’s home in the 1950s, Muriel grows up feeling unwanted and different. Despite her hardships, she builds a life for herself—attending college, working, and eventually marrying and having a daughter, Rosie. After her husband's death, Muriel focuses on providing for Rosie, content to leave the pain of her past buried.

However, Rosie is determined to uncover her mother’s history. She tracks down Muriel’s father, Jonas Murrey, now living in London. When he rebuffs her, Rosie becomes relentless, even taking a job as a nanny for his children to force a confrontation. Her pursuit reveals painful family secrets but does not necessarily lead to the closure she seeks. Rosie takes the children to Kenwood where both Ella and Rosie share an interest in Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate daughter of a Navy Captain and a West Indian woman. Here is another mixed race child whose life was dictated by her colour.

The novel sheds light on the discrimination faced by mixed-race children in post-war Britain, the stigma of interracial relationships, and the emotional scars passed down through generations. It offers a moving reflection on identity, loss, and the complexities of family ties.