Before Raffles, before Rajah Brooke, there was Captain Francis Light. Tells the backstory of the British settlement of Penang. Features real historical characters and events from 18th-century Britain, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Siam. The eponymous pearl, Martinha Rozells, embodies the rich and diverse heritage of the Straits in the 18th century. Her husband, Captain Light, is the dragon in search of his elusive pearl: a British settlement on the Straits of Malacca. Through their eyes we experience the culture and pivotal politics of the day. From the courts of Siam and Kedah, through capture by the French and Dutch, from the salons of Calcutta to gun-running in the Straits, Pearl takes us on an astonishing journey that culminates in Captain Light questioning where his allegiances lie if he is to outmanoeuvre the Sultan of Kedah and raise the British flag on Penang. In the same series 9781912049882 Dragon (Vol.1) by Rose Gan (Monsoon Books, 2021) 9781915310088 Emporium (Vol.3) by Rose Gan (Monsoon Biooks, NYP) Praise for Dragon (Vol.1) ‘Deeply researched and beautifully written, Dragon convincingly evokes the East of the period.’ Nigel Barley, author of In the Footsteps of Stamford Raffles ‘Enthralling. Gan brings a forgotten hero back to rumbustious life.’ John Keay, author of The Honourable Company: a History of the English East India Company ‘At last, a novel which engages a crucial and fascinating period of British merchant imperialism and Southeast Asian history.’ Philip Bowring, author of Empire of the Winds ‘Fascinating and well-researched novel.’ Dennis De Witt, author of History of the Dutch in Malaysia ‘A richly imagined yet historically faithful account of the early career of Francis Light, the founder of modern Penang. A marvelous cast of characters populates this well-researched work of historical fiction, with just the right blend of the real and the imaginary.’ John D. Greenwood, author of the Singapore Saga series