India, December 1803

The British army are closing in on enemy troops in western India and Ensign Richard Sharpe, freshly promoted yet unsure of his position, finds himself vulnerable: he's unwelcome among the officers, yet finds hidden enemies within the ranks. With no-one he can trust, Sharpe is in serious danger when an old adversary arrives on his trail - and a terrible act of betrayal draws him into the eye of the storm.

All roads lead to Gawilghur, a legendary, impregnable fortress in the sky. In the heart of enemy territory, the British carry out a near-impossible siege. And joining the front line, risking his honour and reputation in a battle that will test him as never before, is Sharpe . . .