London, 1933. Two months after Usha Pramal is murdered, her brother commissions Maisie to discover why the police investigation has produced no answer. Usha had left India and built an independent life in London, but the people around her offer conflicting accounts of her work, spiritual insight and relationships.
A second death reveals danger within a community shaped by migration, prejudice and obligations carried from India. As Maisie reconstructs Usha’s choices, James Compton demands a decision about their future together. The investigation and ultimatum force Maisie to recognise that remaining unchanged can be another form of loss and that she may need to leave the life she has built.