Meet Missy, the extraordinary, dazzling, must-read debut of 2024, with a main character who will capture your heart

She’s chosen her own future.

Madras, India: The orphaned girls of St Ursula’s convent are destined to be nuns or servants but seventeen-year-old Savi dreams of escape. Responsible and good with languages, she’s taken on as governess for the wealthy Nandiyar family at their country estate.

The horrific events of a single night force Savi and her love, Ananda, into a dangerous journey, re-emerging in America under new identities, their homeland forever in their rearview.

But the past is never far away.

Forty years later, Savi, known to all as Missy, is the embodiment of the American dream – successful business owner in Chicago, pillar of the South Asian community, and mother to two brilliant, stubborn young women, Mansi and Shilpa.

Until Varun, a charming doctor, enters their lives, setting off a chain of events that puts Missy’s carefully constructed world in jeopardy with the revelation that you can never truly outrun your secrets…

A spellbinding, heartbreaking debut - fans of Monica Ali, Bernardine Evaristo and Brit Bennett will adore this.

Readers everywhere are falling for Missy:

'Rao’s characters are lively, often funny, and incredibly headstrong…The scenes showing Missy and her family’s home life feel like being wrapped up in a warm blanket and served something hot and delicious.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'A beautifully written and developed book about regret and choosing a different life… a moving story with a strong central character.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘Wow. What a read! **The characters and conflict were **so engrossing… a great book club read!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘I particularly liked the strong female characters and family relationships…Worth reading if you like family dramas spanning across different generations and countries.' Reader Review

‘I can't believe this is a debut with the way it has been sketched out. Loved the plot and the characters.’ Reader Review