#6 Sunday Times bestseller

1947, French Indochina. Since her mother’s death, eighteen-year-old half-French, half-Vietnamese Nicole has been living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Sylvie. When Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business, Nicole is given an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. But the area is teeming with militant rebels who want to end French rule, by any means possible. For the first time, Nicole is awakened to the corruption of colonial rule – and her own family’s involvement shocks her to the core…

Tran, a notorious Vietnamese insurgent, seems to offer the perfect escape from her troubles, while Mark, a charming American trader, is the man she’s always dreamed of. But who can she trust in this world where no one is what they seem?

The Silk Merchant’s Daughter is a captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial era Vietnam.

‘A captivating story, an exotic and richly imagined setting, sibling rivalry, romance, I couldn’t put it down.’
Julia Gregson, author of Jasmine Nights and Monsoon Summer

‘Lush and romantic, with an authentic feeling of place and period, Jefferies should have another hit on her hands here.’
Sunday Mirror

‘Absolutely stunning. A must!’
Heat

‘An addictive blend of history, drama, romance, and danger… Jefferies weaves a beautiful atmospheric tale packed with dark secrets, terrible hardship and the rich, fascinating culture of Vietnam… This is a story that comes alive not just because of the tingling undercurrents of mystery, rivalry and simmering suspense but through the power of Jefferies’ evocative prose which draws us into an alluring, ‘other’ world… And at its heart is a sweeping, absorbing love story.’
Lancashire Evening Post

‘Beautifully atmospheric with twists to keep you enthralled.’
My Weekly, ‘Mother’s Day pick’

‘Put everything else on hold. Turn off the phone. Be prepared to be swept away by this wonderful book. I couldn’t put it down and loved every delicious page. Dinah Jefferies has a remarkable gift for conjuring up another time and place with lush descriptions, full of power and intensity. I was totally captivated by its passionate and dangerous story of Nicole, as she fights to find her place in the turmoil of 1950s Vietnam, torn between loyalty and love. Deeply layered, full of twists and surprises, but with an edge of darkness, this book is an exciting, exhilarating, extraordinary story that is beautifully written. I loved it. A must read.’
Kate Furnivall, author of The Italian Wife

‘I’ve just finished The Silk Merchant’s Daughter — what a vivid and well-researched story! It’s an exquisite depiction of colonial Vietnam on the brink of a new era; I could feel the humidity and the sweet scent of frangipani trees … Dinah’s writing is incredibly suspenseful and did not shy away from the harsh realities of warfare. I fevered with Nicole to the very last page; the tension is as taut as the silk that winds through it.’
Lucinda Riley, author of The Seven Sisters