Sweet Waters

Sweet Waters is a gripping novel set on the banks of the Bosphorous in old Istanbul. Beneath the surface sparkle of the waters there are deep and dangerous currents at play. These are the last years of the intrigue-ridden Ottoman Empire. Political manoeuvring and blackmail, love, friendship and ambition - all are tested as Balkan troops close in on the beleaguered city. Sweet Waters contains magical descriptions of Istanbul before it was transformed into the bustling metropolis of today. Written by Harold Nicolson at the end of his posting as a diplomat in the city, it contains echoes of his courtship and marriage with Vita Sackville-West. A political thriller, a love story and a travel book in one.