Malta, 1943. The war in the air above Malta is over, but the battle for Europe is about to begin. Margarita, a young singer in a Valletta nightclub, has seen her former lover Henry Dunn only once since breaking off their affair.His wife Vera, an enigmatic archaeologist, arrives at the club to tell her that Henry has disappeared, presumed dead.While investigating, Margarita stumbles upon the hunt for a notorious and dangerous spy: Nero. As an unlikely bond develops between the two women, and strange secrets emerge, an urgent quest to unmask Nero starts - before he can enact a deadly plan that may threaten the course of the war. 'An atmospheric tale of adventure and espionage' Sunday Times of MaltaPraise for Cecily Blench:'A sweeping historical fiction masterpiece' My Weekly 'Evocative and atmospheric.' Wilbur Smith