When pregnant Jaya loses her mother, then her baby son Arun in a tragic cot death, her world crashes down. Overcome by grief and guilt, she begins to look for answers - to the enigma of her lonely, distant mother, and her mysterious past in India. Looking through her mother's belongings, she finds two diaries and old photographs, carrying the smoky aroma of fire. A young boy smiles out at Jaya from every photograph - and in one, a family stand proudly in front of a sprawling mansion. Who is this child? And why did her mother treasure this memento of a regal family lost to the past? As Jaya starts to read the diaries, their secrets lead her back to India, to the ruin of a once grand house on a hill. There, Kali, a mad old lady, will unlock the story of a devastating lie and a fire that tore a family apart. Nothing though will prepare Jaya for the house's final revelation, which will change everything Jaya knew about herself. ' , the descriptions of India, the mansion, the food and the people are swoon worthy. And the characters are so real, so believable, so frail and fraught with their own mistakes, I felt like I was an observer, watching real people as I read this book.' ...I read it in one shot because I couldn't bear to stop...what I can promise you is that it is a great read... .' . . . Renita D'Silva skilfully weaves an tale . . . In so doing, she manages to seamlessly incorporate love, betrayal, disappointment, heartbreak, deceit and victory. This is that ...This