'Thrilling yet heart-wrenching . . . This must-read novel is mesmerizing, captivating, and profound' DEBORAH RODRIGUEZ, internationally bestselling author of The Moroccan Daughter and The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul
'I truly felt for the memorable women risking their lives to protect themselves and their families . . . Baghdad springs into
vivid violent life . . .
Outstanding!' DINAH JEFFERIES, number one
Sunday Times bestselling author of
The Tuscan ContessaTwo can keep a secret, only when one of them is dead . . .'A deeply involving and important novel by a master storyteller' SUSAN WIGGS, number one
New York Times bestselling author
'Breathtaking...Riveting and profound! I adored this book!' Ellen Marie Wiseman,
New York Times bestselling author
Iraq, 2002.As night falls in Huda's fragrant garden of apricot trees, a breeze sweeps in from the desert, warning of visitors at her gate.
A secretary at the Australian embassy in Baghdad, Huda has been ordered by the
mukhabarat to befriend and spy upon the Deputy Ambassador's wife, Ally Wilson. To refuse is to risk her son being forced to join a deadly militia. But - though Huda cannot yet know it - Ally is keeping dangerous secrets of her own.
Meanwhile, Huda's estranged friend Rania - a sheikh's daughter whose wealth is long gone - is battling to keep her own her own daughter safe from the dictator's men.
As Huda and Rania are brought together again, through their relationship with Ally, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing betrayal at every turn, all three women must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much each is willing to sacrifice to protect those they love . . .
Lose yourself in this evocative, emotionally powerful and completely gripping international bestseller, where secrets are precious currency and three courageous women are tested to the limit by a horrifying power seemingly beyond their control.'Wilkinson weaves in the miasma of fear and distrust that characterized Hussein's regime with convincing detail.
Richly drawn characters and
high-stakes plot'
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'Rarely do we hear stories of those who are most oppressed. And stories from recent wars
told by women about women are even rarer . . . Wilkinson's
evocative language shapes the novel into one of
suspense,
intrigue and
conspiracy; where female friendship is platformed . . . Although it is set within a backdrop of male power, where human grief is "almost a creature into itself", the
power of a woman's intent for the safety of those she loves carries the novel through with a
mesmerising pulsating force'
SYDNEY MORNING HERALDReaders can't stop talking about this book!'Riveting from beginning to end . . . A
great read!' *****
'Atmospheric and
suspenseful . . . I read this novel with my
heart in my throat' *****'The stories of these three women are each
compelling on their own, but when intertwined they become
formidable . . . Stunning' *****'I felt the
warmth of the sun and tasted the
sweetness of the lime tea . . .
Beautiful' *****
'All I can say is:
WOW - read it. You won't be disappointed' *****
Gina Wilkinson is an award-winning journalist, former foreign correspondent and documentary-maker who's reported from some of the world's most intriguing and perilous places for the BBC, ABC, and other renowned public broadcasters. During two decades living and working in hotspots across the globe, she spent more than a year in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein. At that time, Iraq was virtually sealed off from the outside world, and Gina lived under tight surveillance. One of her closest Iraqi friends worked as a secret police informant, reporting on her every move. Gina now works in international development, supporting efforts to end poverty in the developing world. She lives in Melbourne. When the Apricots Bloom is her first novel.
You can find photos and more about where fact meets fiction, as well as her contact details, on her website www.ginawilkinson.net. If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, she'd love to hear from you.
