Journey to Paradise
1949. Three years after the Japanese Occupation has ended, Miranda Lewis and her husband Gerry arrive in Singapore shortly after the death of their infant son. The Malayan Peninsula is in a state of instability with increasingly violent outbreaks of communist-led guerrilla attacks against the British.
Synopsis
Singapore, 1949
When Miranda moves to the Alexandra Quarter with her husband Gerry, she hopes it will bring the fresh start they need.
Though their life in ex-pat society is full of luxury, Miranda can’t help feeling like an outsider, and her relationship with Gerry becomes increasingly distant.
When doctor Nick Wythenshaw encourages Miranda to work within the local community, she finds new purpose away from her protected world that opens her eyes to a new way of life.
But as riots erupt across the region and danger draws close to home, Miranda must make an impossible choice.
Will she sacrifice everything she holds dear to find happiness?
‘A beautiful, immersive tale that will keep you turning the pages until the end’
Jenny Ashcroft
‘Journey to Paradise is guaranteed to transport you to exotic climes and engross you in the story of its troubled heroine as she struggles to hold onto normality after the death of her baby, while being expected to conform to the repressive norms of colonial life in 1940s Singapore. A terrific debut for Paula Greenlees.’
Liz Trenow, author of Under a Wartime Sky
‘Paula’s novel transports the reader to a long-forgotten and fascinating time in Singapore. Set in a turbulent, post-war period with the British empire in decline, the contrasting experiences of Miranda and the cast of characters in the book clearly show the stark power imbalances between men and women, expats and locals. An enchanting, evocative debut!’
Louise Fein, author of People Like Us