I grew up in Singapore in a very traditional Chinese household, where boys were treasured but female children were considered to be of little value.

After I moved to England and had my memoir published, I believed I had fulfilled my writing aspirations. Years later I decided to write a story about a young girl who uses her extraordinary talent for combat in the pursuit of justice and retribution.

I live in London, where I spend my time writing, and enjoying the company of the wildlife feeding in my garden.

Young Myeli with her family and the enigmatic Chrysanthemum Society embark on a journey from China to Malaya, a colony of the British Empire, bringing with them a part of the lost treasure of the First Emperor of China.

They build a new life unaware that Jen Man Chu, a man consumed by greed and bitterness, having spent decades roaming China in search of the lost treasure, has tracked them down. He worms his way into the society by inveigling himself into the confidence of their ageing leader, Master Li, until he stands poised to claim his prize.

But Myeli’s brother Kwai, a firebrand fuelled by loyalty and love, won’t stand idly by. His defiance sets him on a collision course with Jen and Governor Carl Morgan, a man whose emerald-rich island – a prison colony for enemies of the state – harbours unspeakable horrors.

The governor, a predator cloaked in absolute authority, sets his sights on Kwai’s beloved Xenia. Jen, sensing an opportunity, orchestrates Kwai’s imprisonment. This removes his rival and gains the governor’s favour: with Kwai as bait, Xenia is lured to the remote island prison in the Andaman Sea.

Jen believes the path to securing the leadership of the society and its treasure is clear – but Myeli stands in his way. Unaware of her prowess as a martial artist he considers it a loss of face to be seen in a public duel with a teenaged girl, and outsources the kill. The assassin comes at night and in a stunning but inconclusive battle Myeli claims his legendary katana, the sword of his ancestors, Bringer of Death.

Now, Myeli stands at the precipice. With Xenia’s freedom hanging in the balance, and the Chrysanthemum Society’s legacy at stake, she prepares to unleash the fury of a dragon awakening, ready to reclaim her destiny and rewrite the ending of this saga.