Inspired by her own experiences stationed in Baghdad during Saddam Hussein's rule, former foreign correspondent Gina Wilkinson's evocative, suspenseful debut is told through the eyes of three very different women in Iraq at the turn of the millennia.

 

A secretary, an artist and a diplomat’s wife must confront the complexities of trust, friendship, and motherhood under the rule of a dictator and his ruthless secret police. Read more

"In this vivid debut, set in early 2000s Baghdad, secrets and lies mingle as easily as the scent of apricot blossoms and nargilah smoke. Wilkinson weaves in the miasma of fear and distrust that characterized Hussein’s regime with convincing detail…richly drawn characters and a high-stakes plot." 

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Publishers Weekly

A Target  Book Club Pick, a Buzzfeed Top Historical Fiction Novel of 2021 & one of the 30 Buzz Books of the season! 

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Gina Wilkinson is a former foreign correspondent turned novelist.  A nomadic childhood & decades living and working in the world's most intriguing places inspire her writing today. Read more→