Simran and Sudhir Saigal have been married for several years, and are settled in Bangkok, Thailand. They live a fairly harmonious but busy lives, and have a child, a son. When Sudhir returns unexpectedly, he finds his wife is having an affair with another man. He hires a private detective by the name of Ramanathan, who produces photographic evidence of her affair with a male, whose name is Sunny. Sudhir decides to meet Sunny, and there is a physical confrontation, which results in Sunny's death. Sudhir takes the body, and buries it elsewhere, and returns home. A few days Bangkok Police Inspector Rajvir Singh arrives at their house to inquire about Sunny, who has been reported as missing. Shortly thereafter, Sudhir receives incriminating photographs of himself burying Sunny's body. Sudhir tells Simran about his secret, and together they go to check if the body is still buried. Their shocking findings at the site will change their lives forever.

The Burning Plain follows the story of several different people separated by time and space -- Sylvia, a woman in Oregon who must undertake an emotional odyssey to rid herself of her past; Mariana and Santiago, two teenagers trying to piece together the shattered lives of their parents in a New Mexico border town; Maria, a little girl who goes on a border-crossing voyage to help her parents find redemption, forgiveness, and love; and Gina and Nick, a couple who must deal with an intense and clandestine affair... because they are both married.