First published 2015
Eric Amberson finds postwar Britain impossible to bear. He returns to Syria, where he once worked as a British army clerk during the war. In the Syrian heartland sits Kasr-el-Sittat, the Fortress of Holy Women. A mad cult leader built this compound for his wives before World War II destroyed his movement. Now European displaced persons have bought the abandoned fortress. They plan revenge against the world through nuclear destruction. Eric meets one of the women living at Kasr-el-Sittat and falls in love immediately. Elisa Cantemir possesses striking beauty and elegant manners. But Eric discovers she harbors dangerous beliefs beneath her refined surface. Elisa is an anarchist who dreams of returning the world to the chaos of war. Eric faces an agonizing choice between his heart and humanity's survival.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Syria, Kasr-el-Sittat
Period: Postwar Britain, World War II
246 pages · Kindle Edition · Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
Content warnings: violence