"Gripping, hugely involving, and very satisfying" KATE MOSSE

Set in Pakistan, London and Egypt, this epic drama centres around the life of Zarri, the glamorous daughter of a wealthy landowner.

Zarrie Bano is the charismatic 28-year-old daughter of a wealthy Muslim landowner. She falls in love with Sikander, a business tycoon to whom her father takes an immediate dislike. When Zarri's brother is killed in a freak accident, her father decides to make her his heiress, resurrecting an ancient tradition and forcing her into marriage to the Holy Koran, to become her clan's 'holy woman' - a nun.

A powerful and compelling family drama, The Holy Woman is a romantic story of love and betrayal within a wealthy Muslim community.

"A lean, lyrical meditation on tradition and independence, sensuality and sacrifice, set against the moral background of modern day Pakistan, Shahraz's debut beguiles throughout" - The Times

"A stunning debut - an intricate study of love, family, politics and sacrifice" - Eastern Eye

"An international bestseller: an extraordinary story of love and betrayal in rural Pakistan" - Manchester Evening News

"An absorbing adventure, from a vivid imagination" - She