Amid the laughter and chatter of a glamorous garden party, two middle-aged women exchange false pleasantries, followed by sarcasm and insults. In a flash, they are wrestling on the lawn, scratching and biting as the horrified guests look on. This is 1980s Iraq. The war with Iran is in full swing, but Baghdad's party-going elites are more concerned with gossip, infidelity, fashion and feuds. Among them is Loma, a dutiful wife troubled by dark secrets. She is pursued by Selma, a sharp-tongued diva with a thirst for revenge. Meanwhile, an American spy seeks to infiltrate government circles, breaking hearts and shredding lives in the process. Desperate for some advantage in their game of life and death, the women of Baghdad invoke shadowy forces. But can they control the powers they've unleashed?This action-packed novel lays bare the pain and passions of Iraqi women in a time of political paranoia.