Singapore, 1910: Working as a typist for the police, Harriet Gordon has found fulfillment at last. When her friend and employer, Inspector Robert Curran, is called to the scene of a murder, the victim turns out to be a Lieutenant Colonel's much younger wife. The tightly knit military community in Singapore quickly closes ranks to hinder Curran's investigation, and Harriet realizes that her friendship with the colonel's sister might prove useful. But in this third case (following Singapore Sapphire), Harriet must once again face her painful past, even as she and Curran discover that they too are in the sights of a killer.