Cover

Praise

PRAISE FOR THE SHANGHAI WIFE

‘A superb debut, conjuring all the mayhem of pre-revolutionary China through the eyes of a young Australian woman. I hope Emma Harcourt writes many more!’

Paul Ham, historian, author and journalist

‘With extraordinary historical and sensory detail, Emma Harcourt brings the world of early twentieth century Shanghai to contemporary readers. Into this lush and complex setting comes a young woman straining against convention. In Annie, Harcourt has created a dynamic and vivid character, a woman both conflicted and courageous, a woman readers will fall in love with.’

Kathryn Heyman, author of Storm and Grace

‘Emma’s book is lyrical and beautiful … she has written a love story as dangerous and exotic as the worlds she describes.’

Caroline Overington, author and journalist

‘An immersive tale of illicit love set in Shanghai during the Chinese anti-Imperialist movement of 1925. Propels you straight to the streets of 1920s Shanghai.’

Nicole Alexander, author

‘It’s got it all, romance, politics, mystery, controversy, forbidden love and death. A great read, travel back to Shanghai in the 1920s and enjoy!’

Beauty & Lace

‘Emma Harcourt’s … writing style is beautiful; riddled with descriptive prose and glorious snapshots of the exotic richness of China’s elegant 1920s, along with the dangers lying on Shanghai’s rabbit-warren of streets … excellently researched.’

Starts at Sixty

‘The Shanghai Wife will delight fans of historical fiction who like to be taken places and told terrific stories, as well as anyone who enjoys experiencing a life lived to the full in one of the world’s most fabulous cities at a very interesting time.’

Better Reading

About the Author

Photo: Noel Mclaughlin

EMMA HARCOURT is an author, researcher and journalist. She began writing historical fiction while completing the Faber Academy Writing a Novel course and now spends all her available hours either researching history or writing about it. As a young adult she travelled to Florence to learn Italian and fell in love with the place. From there she moved to London where she lived for ten years before eventually returning to Australia to raise her son. She’s now based in Sydney with her teenage daughters. When she’s not writing or researching history, you’ll find her reading in her garden. Emma is the author of critically lauded, internationally published bestseller The Shanghai Wife. Her second book, The Brightest Star, is set in Renaissance Florence.

Also by Emma Harcourt

Also by Emma Harcourt

The Shanghai Wife

Title Page

Dedication

For Mum

Prologue

PROLOGUE

Villa Careggi, 1479

It was the wet nurse who sealed Luna’s fate. So powerless a figure and yet her small act of defiance changed the path of the Fusili family history forever. None could have foreseen the turn of events she would initiate by letting the baby cry. Such an innocent sound and so loud.

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