A stunning and utterly captivating debut about war, love and betrayal in 1940s Hong Kong

'Gripping and moving ... Francesca Brill is a very good writer indeed and I was sucked into the story until I was no longer aware of things going on around me, only of what was going on to the characters I had grown to love' Simon Sebag Montefiore

'A powerful novel of depth and intensity' Sunday Times

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Hong Kong, 1940. For the reckless young journalist Stevie Steiber, days at the Happy Valley racecourse slip into dangerous, hedonistic nights. Meanwhile Major Harry Field, a British Intelligence Officer, is investigating the recent arrival of Wu Jishang, a sophisticated publisher who owns a controversial political magazine.

But it is Stevie, Jishang’s close colleague and lover, who really fascinates Harry. As the British community continues to party despite the looming threat of war, the two are obsessively drawn into a dark passion. And when the Japanese army seizes the island, they are faced with terrifying challenges – how far will they go to protect each other?