Harem

Istanbul, 1520: Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman’s greatest Sultan, must protect his legacy at all costs. On the battlefields and behind the doors of the forbidden palace, his sons and viziers engage in a game of deadly intrigue for absolute power. And his concubines vie for his favour, whatever the cost.

One of them is Hurrem. She knows there is only one way out of the Sultan’s gilded prison – catch his eye and bear him a son.

In Venice, Abbas is the impetuous and headstrong son of the city’s military commander. He embarks on an ill-advised romantic adventure with horrific and unthinkable consequences.

A twist of fate throws Abbas and Hurrem together inside the byzantine world of the Ottoman court. Their intrigues threaten the future of the Ottoman throne – but a terrible death awaits if they are discovered.

From medieval Venice to the slave markets of Algiers, from the mountains of Persia to the Topkapi palace of Istanbul, this is a gripping tale of betrayal, revenge and murder spanning four decades.

Harem has been translated into 15 languages, and on release sold 150,000 copies in Germany.