This Gilded Abyss: A science fiction adventure with sapphic romance from a Sunday Times bestselling author

Death waits beneath the waves as two estranged lovers face their demons...

Sergeant Nix Marr left her dark past buried beneath the sea. Then Kessandra, the people’s favourite princess and Nix's much-loathed ex, recruits Nix for a covert mission. Their goal – to investigate a massacre in the under-water city of Fall. Nix refuses, but still finds herself boarding a luxurious submersible as Kessandra's bodyguard.

As Nix battles to deny their connection, Kessandra reveals the chilling truth. They aren’t investigating a massacre, but the trigger that caused it – a sickness that turns victims into mindless killers. And when a royal passenger is murdered, it’s clear the infection is on board – and no one on the submersible is safe.

Now survival hinges on trust, which would be a hell of a lot easier if Kessandra didn't keep lying. Injured and fighting for both their lives, Nix must decide if she can believe in Kessandra again . . . and what she’d lose this time if she does.

Rebecca Thorne’s Can’t Spell Treason without Tea was a Sunday Times HB fiction bestseller w/c 06/05/2024

© 2025 Tor (Audiobook): 9781035079308

Release date

Audiobook: 20 November 2025