In Karachi, Bilqis Ara Begum prepares for the wedding reception of her son Samad. The family has gathered and the servants have been given their instructions. The bride will soon have her hands painted with henna and be helped into her wedding dress and jewels.

This is not the wedding Bilqis planned for her only son. Kate is a westerner, an Australian from Melbourne. As Bilqis struggles to accept Kate, Pakistan is facing turmoil. The mullahs and the military are in control and an insurgency is beginning in Kashmir.

Then she discovers her servant girl Mumtaz is secretly meeting a freedom fighter—a tryst that threatens to destroy the girl's honour—and Bilqis is left to examine her own convictions.

Twilight confirms Azhar Abidi's stunning talent. This is an unforgettable novel about family, love and conflict.