Maud Strand has an idyllic life with her parents in New Orleans, surrounded by family and friends. From childhood, she has had prophetic dreams which benefit Adele, the family housekeeper, who does a little gambling. Maud is in college when she's traumatized by the sudden death of her father in a car accident. Overwhelmed by grief, Maud becomes alienated from her mother, Celia, especially when she starts dating a tourist from Montana. When Celia begins talking about remarriage, Maud moves to New York. She is drifting New York when she rents an apartment from Lina Sandor, a psychic who uses...