This biography investigates the short, vibrant life of Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy, the sister of John F. Kennedy, to determine how her social standing and personal choices shaped her legacy within the Kennedy dynasty. Paula Byrne, a seasoned biographer, utilizes extensive archival research, personal letters, and interviews with surviving acquaintances to reconstruct the life of a woman who defied the rigid expectations of her Catholic upbringing. The book argues that Kick was a pivotal, often overlooked figure whose independence and tragic death in a plane crash left an indelible mark on the family's trajectory.

The work is regarded as a thorough and empathetic recovery of a historical figure often relegated to a footnote in the broader Kennedy narrative. The text provides a dense, well-documented examination of the intersection between personal identity and public duty in mid-20th-century aristocratic circles.