The novel is set in British India of the 1940s. it follows on from the storyline in The Jewel in the Crown.
Much of the novel is written in the form of interviews and reports of conversations and … See more

This novel introduces the Layton family of Pankot as principal characters. Colonel Layton, who served in the North African campaign, is held prisoner of war by the Nazis. His wife, … See more

A 1968 book review in Kirkus Reviews, an anonymous reviewer called the novel a "rich, elaborately terraced novel." The review summarized that Scott's "view of the crippling illusionary quests of men and nations, his ability to recreate a culture and a time, … See more