Freed from jail, Anya hopes that things will get back to normal. But life on the outside is even more dangerous than life behind bars. Some of her gangland family want revenge for the crime for which she has done time: the shooting of her uncle. Forced to flee the country, Anya hides out in a cacao plantation in Mexico. There she learns the secrets of the chocolate trade, a trade that is illegal and deadly in her native New York. There too she discovers that seemingly random acts of violence carried out across the world have a single target: her family. As innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire Anya must act fast and decisively to stop it, no matter what the danger to herself.

'I loved this Godfather-inspired thriller set in a futuristic New York. Don't think this is just another dystopian tome; this is a brilliantly crafted novel that will utterly engage you' Fiona Noble, Bookseller 'The love story's to die for, and the tangled web of relationships will keep readers intrigued to the last page' Kirkus Reviews 'Offering the excitement of a crime drama and the allure of forbidden romance' Publishers Weekly 'Zevin is a master storyteller ... There're echoes of The Godfather mixed with Romeo and Juliet' Hazel Holmes, Chicklish

Gabrielle Zevin is the bestselling author of Elsewhere. As well as writing fiction for adults and teenagers she is also a screenwriter. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages. Gabrielle lives in New York. Because It Is My Blood is the second part of an eagerly anticipated trilogy.