A STUNNING HISTORICAL NOVEL FROM WOMEN'S PRIZE LONGLISTED AUTHOR * One of BBC's '12 books you need to read in 2026' * A Guardian Book of the Day * A BookBub 'Best Historical Fiction of 2026' selection Two outsiders venture into the Forbidden Kingdom of Tibet, both driven by a motive they are desperate to keep secret In 1869, the mountainous territory of Tibet is closed to foreigners. Balram is an Indian guide recruited to lead an English Captain on an illegal and foolhardy expedition within Tibet. Katherine, fleeing a life of frustrated ambition, is determined to become the first European woman to reach Lhasa. The two of them cross paths on their long, treacherous journeys. As they battle to survive, Balram and Katherine face storms and bandits, snow leopards and soldiers, fevers and frostbite. But nothing is more dangerous than the secrets that snap at their heels, in this unforgettable story about the obsessions of empire and the lengths we go to in pursuit of legacy. An epic, perilous odyssey.'Guardian 'Riveting... This book is a triumph.' Laila Lalami, author of The Dream Hotel

A STUNNING HISTORICAL NOVEL FROM WOMEN'S PRIZE LONGLISTED AUTHOR * One of BBC's '12 books you need to read in 2026' * A Guardian Book of the Day * A BookBub 'Best Historical Fiction of 2026' selection Two outsiders venture into the Forbidden Kingdom of Tibet, both driven by a motive they are desperate to keep secret In 1869, the mountainous territory of Tibet is closed to foreigners. Balram is an Indian guide recruited to lead an English Captain on an illegal and foolhardy expedition within Tibet. Katherine, fleeing a life of frustrated ambition, is determined to become the first European woman to reach Lhasa. The two of them cross paths on their long, treacherous journeys. As they battle to survive, Balram and Katherine face storms and bandits, snow leopards and soldiers, fevers and frostbite. But nothing is more dangerous than the secrets that snap at their heels, in this unforgettable story about the obsessions of empire and the lengths we go to in pursuit of legacy. An epic, perilous odyssey.'Guardian 'Riveting... This book is a triumph.' Laila Lalami, author of The Dream Hotel