‘A beautiful and unique retelling of Medea. I loved it!’ Sunday Times bestselling author Sophie Irwin

‘Absorbing and thoughtful…full of page-turning drama and vibrantly drawn characters. Bold and illuminating’ Claire Heywood, author of Daughters of Sparta

A propulsive retelling inspired by the Greek myth of Medea

A woman wronged will shake an empire

Calcutta, 1757.

Bengal is on the brink of war. The East India Company, led by the fearsome Sir Peter Chilcott, are advancing and nobody is safe. Meena, the Nawab’s neglected and abused daughter, finds herself falling under the spell of James Chilcott, nephew of Sir Peter, who claims he wants to betray the company . . . for a price.

Caught between friend and foe, Meena and James escape Calcutta, their hands stained in blood and pockets filled with gold. In Ceylon, they’re cleansed of their sins by Meena’s beloved aunt Kiran, before the young lovers set sail for the Dutch controlled Cape of Good Hope, with the promise of a new life.

Yet past resentments and present betrayals begin to pile up as they struggle to overcome their differences. And as Meena yet again finds herself in a foreign land without anyone to turn to, she is forced to find out what she is willing to sacrifice when love turns to hate.

The perfect read for fans of The Song of Achilles, Ariadne and Pandora

‘A clever and compassionate retelling of the Medea myth . . . an ending worth of the great Greek playwrights’ Laura Shepperson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Heroines

‘A powerful and entrancing debut… crafted with finesse and authenticity’ USA Today bestseller, Andie Newton

‘Man oh man, I cannot wait to throw this book at everyone I know’ Pyae Moe Thet War, author of You’ve Changed, a Malala Bookclub Pick

‘Rani Selvarajah paints a vivid picture of a dark and difficult world. Rani skillfully led me on a roller coaster of an emotional journey of a woman’s strength and determination despite all the odds’ Siya Turabi, author of The Last Beekeeper