One of BBC's '12 books to read in 2026'

A sweeping historical novel about two travellers and their perilous journey into the 'forbidden kingdom' of Tibet

* One of BBC's '12 books you need to read in 2026' * A Guardian 'Book to Look Out For in 2026' *

A BookBub 'Best Historical Fiction of 2026' selection

‘An epic, perilous odyssey.' Guardian, Book of the Day

From the Women's Prize-longlisted author of Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line comes a stunning historical novel about two outsiders who 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, an infuriating obstacle to Europeans racing to expand their empires. In response, Britain begins training Indians – permitted to cross borders that white men may not – to undertake illicit, perilous expeditions within Tibet.

Balram is one such surveyor-spy, recruited to guide an English captain on a foolhardy mission. His path will soon cross with that of another unlikely explorer, Katherine. Fleeing a life of frustrated ambition, belittled by her male peers, Katherine has a plan to secure her legacy as the first European woman to reach Lhasa and the legendary Potala Palace. 

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 the colonial enterprise, and the ways we endeavour to leave a mark on the world.