
Stranger at the Gate
By Malcolm J Bosse
In a country at the seams, love and life still go on…
Jakarta, Indonesia, 1965.
Over the months, fights between the Communist ‘Reds’ and the Muslim political faction are escalating.
One day in broad daylight, a santri Muslim is shot down – allegedly by two PKI (Partai Komunis Indonesia) members.
Amongst the witnesses was Maggie Gardner.
Originally from Iowa, Maggie was the stereotypical American girl dreaming of the world outside.
Studying anthropology at university, she studied the Minangkabau people, before nearly succumbing to malaria and meeting her future husband at the recovery centre.
But when, on a train one day, she meets Indonesia’s most revered interpreter of the ancient Mahabharata, the mystical puppet master known as the Dalang, he seems to her the perfect embodiment of a complex and fascinating culture – and the realisation of all her fantasies.
But to the men who plan to overthrow the government, he represents everything they are fighting to destroy…
Slowly but inexorably, Maggie becomes a player in a game beyond her control – the ultimate puppet in the ultimate puppet show…
A dark and brutal story, Stranger at the Gate dives into the heart of a country, where revolution and tradition stand side-by-side.
Malcolm Bosse is the author of the bestselling The Warlord and the highly praised Fire in Heaven. He has lived in India, China and Japan, and has travelled extensively throughout Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Mr Bosse resides in New York.