First published 1992
In the sweltering landscape of colonial Malaya, bacteriologist Walter Fane discovers his wife Kitty's passionate affair with a charismatic government official. Humiliated and furious, Walter makes a calculated decision that will redefine their marriage: he demands Kitty accompany him to a remote, cholera-ravaged village where he will provide medical service. Far from civilization and comfort, the couple confronts the brutal realities of disease, isolation, and their own fractured relationship. As death and desperation surround them, Walter's quiet professional dedication and Kitty's growing self-awareness create an unexpected crucible of transformation. Their survival depends not just on avoiding infection, but on rebuilding trust in a landscape as unforgiving as their own wounded hearts.
Genres: drama, romance, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, forced-proximity
Setting: Malaya
Period: Colonial
208 pages · Paperback · Viking Pr
Content warnings: colonialism