The pieces of Mosaic, especially its detailed, exotic settings, are brightly colored and cunningly shaped. Protagonist Frances Brett is an appealingly courageous, independent young journalist who relocates to Istanbul, seeking adventure. The inexplicable disappearance of Nicholas Marquand, toward whom she is powerfully attracted, threatens Frances' happiness and her self-confidence. Probing the puzzle, Frances encounters numerous fascinating characters (most hiding unsavory pasts), stumbles into an international conspiracy, and grows strong enough to keep her own unnerving secrets.