Sri Lanka, 1987

A civil war is on the verge of splitting the island nation in two.

One of David’s intelligence agents uncovers a scheme by a band of tea estate workers to carve out an independent state in the heart of the country. David, serving in the north, has to persuade his commanders that the danger in the hill country is genuine—and then events take a disastrous turn…

Sri Lanka: a nation scarred by a long and savage civil war…

In the central bus terminal at evening rush hour, a resentful mechanic waits in an old Ford Escort, certain that he will be dead within minutes. Shattered by what has befallen his young family back in his hometown, Nadesan is determined that no one in the capital should ever feel safe again. A traffic policeman bangs furiously on the car window, signalling for him to move along.

Sacred Tears, the opening book of a trilogy...

It is 1982, and Sami is stranded far from home in war-torn Beirut, a city besieged by the Israelis. His only wish is to return to his family in Sri Lanka, but to survive he must learn to kill. David, a captain in the Sri Lankan army, is posted to the humid jungles of the north as punishment for a indiscretion and finds himself caught up in the brutal insurrection led by militant separatist Tamil Tigers. As civil war breaks out across Sri Lanka and tears apart this once peaceful nation, David's beloved, the beautiful Priyani, faces an impossible choice, and the two men's paths collide on opposite sides of the conflict. They must summon every ounce of courage and confront their own beliefs about right and wrong.

Sacred Tears, the first book in a trilogy, is a vivid and powerful portrait of Sri Lanka's great beauty and its turbulent recent past. It draws you into the story of this ancient nation and into the heart of a compelling human struggle.

Roderic Grigson…

…was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he was educated and lived until the age of twenty-one. Rod’s family were Burghers—descendants of the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonials who governed the island nation for 450 years.

Recent Blog Posts

Roderic Grigson's novels draw on Sri Lanka's dramatic landscapes and its turbulent modern history, weaving together intelligence operations, family loyalties and the human cost of conflict. Whether you start with The Sullen Hills, After The Flames or Sacred Tears, each story offers a vivid sense of place and a cast facing difficult choices. Browse the books section to learn more about each title.