This thrilling work of historical fiction set during the fall of the Ottoman Empire tells the story of a circle of friends whose lives and loves become entangled in the crusade for freedom

The second novel from Maha Akhtar weaves a story of espionage, love, courage, and loyalty, told from the perspectives of the revolutionaries who fought alongside Lawrence of Arabia—and the women who gave them strength.

Salah escapes Turkey, fearing he is about to be unmasked as a spy for the Arab Revolt. Meanwhile, Noura, his best friend’s widow, flees Beirut, and the two find themselves in Cairo. When he’s not carrying out spy missions with the legendary Lawrence of Arabia, Salah is hiding from the Ottoman secret police in the bustling labyrinth of the Khan el-Khalili market. Noura starts over, finding strength and support in new friendships forged at Rania’s Café, where everyone is somehow involved in the struggle for Arab independence.

But independence comes at a cost. And when Lawrence plans an attack on Aqaba, the price may be very high indeed.

Maha Akhtar is a journalist, author, and speechwriter. A contributor to Departures magazine, she also writes about wine for several influential restaurateurs in New York City. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, Akhtar started her career in the music business as assistant manager for the Cure. Six years later, she moved into public relations for Zagat Survey before entering CBS News, where she worked closely with Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News. Akhtar wrote two memoirs, La nieta de la maharaní (The Granddaughter of the Maharani, 2009) and La princesa perdida (The Lost Princess, 2011), before publishing her first novel, Miel y almendras (Salon Rules) in Spain and Latin America in 2012, followed by Las huellas en el desierto (Footprints in the Desert) in 2014. Akhtar lives in New York City.