A murderous religious cult is way-laying travellers and stealing goods in nineteenth century India. As the disappearances mount and trade becomes difficult, the British East India Company is forced to act. But they give the job to an upper-class officer completely out-of-touch with the country rather than the obvious candidate who has been in India for years and well understands the people and culture.
For her first day of orientation, Dr. Tristian Mackenzie makes her way to the Silverdale Psychiatric Hospital for the criminally insane, where she learns of the strange series of cases from the similarly strange Dr. Moon.
