A sweeping historical coming-of-age novel set against India’s 1948 takeover of Hyderabad, The Sirens of September (India Penguin, 2025) shifts between the palaces of princely Hyderabad, the refugee camps of post-Partition Bombay, army command rooms and the seedy lanes of London’s Piccadilly. Farishteh Ali Khan, an aristocratic teenager who enjoys a gilded existence, tumbles into a web of international espionage, political intrigue and dark family secrets. A few chance meetings between her and an air force pilot, Saleem El Edroos, lead to them striking up a long-distance courtship. When Hyderabad falls, the new regime makes the Ali Khans and the Edrooses answer for their old loyalties. The one person who can come to their aid can also tear Farishteh’s family apart.
Author Bio Note: Zeenath Khan is a writer who divides her time between Hyderabad, India and New York City. The Sirens of September is her debut novel. She has written about history, travel and current affairs for Scroll, Mint Lounge, Siasat and Literary Traveler. Aside from writing, she enjoys reading, working out, baking, and spending time with her friends and three grown-up children.
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