A revered statue of the god Shiva is missing from the Patna Hall hotel on south India's exquisite Coromandel coast. Was it stolen and to whom does it belong?
When young lawyer Michael Dean is sent from London to take the case for the defence, he is instantly captivated by Artemis, a young and graceful archaeologist staying at the hotel, yet she proves to be as elusive as the mystery of the theft he is investigating.
This magical story about love, art, class and greed, shimmers with the sights, sounds and smells of India, the country that has been the inspiration for many of Rumer Godden's greatest works.
