Set in the heart of Kabul, Afghanistan, The Night Letters follows Sofia Raso, an Australian doctor who has been living in Kabul's bustling Shaahir Square for the past five years. She knows that living peacefully in Kabul requires following two simple rules: keep a low profile; and keep out of local affairs.
When threatening letters from the Taliban begin to arrive in the night and young boys start disappearing from Kabul's largest slum, Sofia becomes alarmed that their disappearance is related to the practice of bacha bazi.
While the Square is encased by fear, an elegant former warlord proves to be an unlikely ally and Sofia’s former lover re-emerges with a warning. Whilst the search to find the boys intensifies and Sofia grapples with the renewed attraction for her lover it becomes clear that answers will come at a heavy price.
The Night Letters is a bittersweet love letter exploring the realities of living in modern Afghanistan. It examines the roles of women in Afghan society, revealing their strength and drive for agency. It also examines bacha bazi, or ‘boy play', the deeply despised underbelly of paedophillia in Afghanistan. With powerful men, including warlords, politicians, and high-ranking military and police officers practicing the sexual slavery of young boys there is little possibility of finding justice.
Gripping and evocative, The Night Letters takes you to the heart of Kabul in a story of secrets and friendship, but also one of love in all its imperfect guises
