Ceylon, 1908: Stella Baxter returns to the island paradise that once promised her everything - haunted by her father's death and the brutal assault that left her with a baby she cannot love.
Her husband, Norton, is waiting for her in Colombo. He rescued her from scandal, he sees her worth, and his steady presence offers something Stella had given up on: a chance to heal. At last she can turn to the work that still binds her to her father - preserving his precious academic legacy.
But the arrival of the Government Agent's wayward daughter, Cynthia - abandoned by her lover and desperate to salvage her reputation - ignites forbidden desires within Norton's own family. As secrets unravel and the respectable façade of British Ceylon begins to crack, the fragile new life Stella has built is caught in the fallout.
Soon the mistakes of the past resurface, and Stella must fight to protect not only her father's legacy but her own future.
Set against the lush, oppressive heat of early twentieth-century Ceylon, this unforgettable historical novel is perfect for readers who love Dinah Jefferies, Angela Petch and Rhys Bowen.