Mistress of the Persian Boarding House

A stirring, intimate work of historical fiction inspired by the life of Marina’s paternal grandmother.

Born into the glitz and glamour of upper-class Russian society at the turn of the twentieth century, Zina yearns for independence and a life she can call her own. When a class war breaks out and Russia falls to the Bolsheviks, she narrowly escapes with her husband and adopted daughter. But once they arrive in Tehran, tragedy strikes again, and she finds herself alone and impoverished.

At a modest boarding house, Zina must start over. There she meets women from Russia and Iran—outsiders like her, seeking refuge. They grow close, supporting one another through childbirth, illness, poverty, political unrest, and a pandemic. Amid the turmoil, Zina’s path crosses with the ambitious Reza Khan, the future shah of Iran. Their relationship becomes a welcome escape, enduring decades of hardship and sorrow before culminating in a heart-wrenching crescendo.

Spanning her life in Russia and her years in Iran, Zina’s story follows a woman who experiences profound loss and fights back to carve a meaningful life for herself. Sweeping, tender, and unforgettable, Mistress of the Persian Boarding House is a moving portrait of the enduring bonds forged between women who choose each other as family.