With the intrigue of a psychological thriller, the heart of a romance and the beauty of a fantastical dive into history, The Tears of Boabdil tells the story of an undercover special agent unwittingly drawn into a forbidden romance and a glimpse of a distant past that mirrors today.

Longlisted for the McKitterick Prize

Sworn to his country and committed to his work, Vince is an undercover agent. He masquerades as an Islamic convert to infiltrate a British Jihadi group. There, he meets Ayesha, the beautiful sister of the leaders and soon becomes entangled in a way that threatens his grip on reality.

The part he’s playing takes over, and he convinces himself he’s in love. Oblivious to the danger to Ayesha and to his sanity, he lures her into a relationship. Now he must choose between a duty that strengthens barriers or a love that breaks them.

“A thematically ambitious novel, interweaving multiple narrative lines. Both disturbing and arresting.”

Adam Craig, author of Vitus Dreams and fiction editor for Cinnamon Press

“A joy to read—a range of emotions from sympathy to horror.”

Alina Voyce, author of Lifelights