Rosalind Escaping an oppressive childhood and an abusive father, the stunningly beautiful Rosalind McKinley leaves the chilly lifeless, economically depressed state of Indiana and travels east. The excitement of the bright lights and the allure of New York’s Manhattan are all the incentive she needs to change the direction of her life. Stripping off the last remnants of her old self, she changes her identity and emerges as Leonora Carrington-Jones. Her new life is complete when a handsome Saudi Arabian Prince lavishes her with attention. He promises her romance in the distant, desert sheikdom of Dubai. Following her heart and ignoring the warnings of her mentor, Madame Durand, she goes with her Sheik into what she visualises will be the accumulation of all her dreams only to find this illusion shattered within days. The new world she imagined is nothing more than a male dominated, corrupt society where women have no worth other than as chattels and sexual objects. Leonora quickly discovers her life is spiralling downwards, finding herself moved from a top suite in a five star hotel to isolation in the degrading, filthy confines of a brothel ruled over by a gross, sadistic North African Madam. With the desperate need to escape from imposed sexual slavery, she meets Susan, a fellow American woman who has the right connections. With new passport for Leonora and airline tickets in hand, they plan a flight back to America and freedom. Leonora’s pulse races as the aircraft door is reopened and police enter to remove her. An inconsolable Susan can simply only watch, helpless as the cruel distressing scene is played out before her. Taken forcibly back to Dubai and a now raging Saudi Prince, Leonora is physically disciplined and with one unthinking, careless, sickening blow it is obvious that the unrestrained violence has gone too far. Susan holds a letter from Leonora in the event that her hopes of escape are dashed; the letter is to be opened and instructions followed. In New York, with the help of Madame Durand, Susan makes a heart breaking discovery about the woman she left behind in Dubai. With a cool head, careful preparation and vengeful determination, she plans to confront the wealthy, diplomatically protected Arab businessman. The ultimate encounter between one frighteningly resolute woman and the influential, sadistic Arab Prince leaves a scene of carnage, as in the final count, only one person can walk away. But will there be more than one survivor … and will one of them be Rosalind’s sister? Set in the world financial depression of the 1970's, this is the sometimes heartbreaking story of two powerfully portrayed characters that will become more and more a part of you with every turn of the page.
