When the Apricots Bloom
By Gina Wilkinson

Haveand youand discovered the international bestseller yet?'Thrillingand yetand heart-wrenchingand . . . Thisand must-readand novel isand mesmerizing,and captivating, andand profound' DEBORAH RODRIGUEZ, internationally bestselling author ofand The Moroccan Daughterand andand The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul'I truly felt for the memorable womenand risking their lives to protect themselves and their families . . . Baghdad springs intoand vivid violent lifeand . . .and Outstanding!'and DINAH JEFFERIES, number oneand Sunday Timesand bestselling author ofand 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 oneand New York Timesand bestselling author'Breathtaking...Riveting and profound! I adored this book!' Ellen Marie Wiseman,and New York Timesand bestselling authorIraq, 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 theand mukhabaratand 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 thisand evocative,and emotionally powerfuland andand completely grippingand 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.and Richly drawn charactersand andand high-stakes plot'and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'Rarely do we hear stories of those who are most oppressed. And stories from recent warsand told by women about womenand are even rarer . . . Wilkinson'sand evocativeand language shapes the novel into one ofand suspense,and intrigueand andand 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", theand power of a woman's intentand for the safety of those she loves carries the novel through with aand mesmerisingand pulsating force'and SYDNEY MORNING HERALDReaders can't stop talking about this book!'Rivetingand from beginning to end . . . Aand great read!' *****'Atmosphericand andand suspensefuland . . . I read this novel with myand heart in my throat' *****'The stories of these three women are eachand compellingand on their own, but when intertwined they becomeand formidable . . . Stunning' *****'I felt theand warmth of the sunand and tasted theand sweetnessand of the lime tea . . .and Beautiful' *****'All I can say is:and WOW - read it. You won't be disappointed' *****