The Heart of the Buddha -- a novel by Elsie Sze -- published in October, 2009

When Marian goes missing at the end of her six-month work contract in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, her twin sister Ruth journeys from Canada to Bhutan to look for her. Learning of Marian’s love for a Bhutanese monk and her hazardous trek over a mountain pass to Tibet, Ruth fears for Marian. A sinister Tibetan also in pursuit of Marian adds to the mystery and intrigue. The novel is a tale of mystery, adventure and romance set against an enchanting backdrop of Bhutan, while it recounts two sisters’ physical and spiritual journeys to reach each other and find their true selves.

 Here's what some literary authorities say of The Heart of the Buddha:

“Elsie Sze’s The Heart of the Buddha is a passionate story of two sisters’ adventures in Bhutan. Part travelogue, part love story, Sze’s elegant prose tells a suspenseful story. I couldn’t put this book down.”

                                                -- Leanne Lieberman, author of Gravity

"In a captivating novel that sets the joys of the sisterly bond against the allure of impossible love, Elsie Sze spins a fluid story of determination, devotion and ethical dilemma. As Sze's characters grapple with disparities in cultures and spiritual beliefs, heart-rending questions are laid bare – questions of love's meaning and its ultimate costs.”

                                                 -- Ania Szado, author of Beginning of Was

  “A triple-treat, The Heart of the Buddha satisfies as a puzzling mystery, a heart-wrenching love story and a vivid travel guide to an exotic land.”

                                                             --Cairns Media Magazine

Update on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 03:22PM by Elsie

The Heart of the Buddha is on the Woman's Day Reading List, as a book recommended by the Woman's Day editors:

 "...I was pleasantly surprised to get drawn into the story after just a few pages, and I ultimately found it hard to put down...."-- Barbara Brody, http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Family-Lifestyle/The-Woman-s-Day-Reading-List.html

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The Heart of the Buddha is currently available on www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca. www.chaptersindigo.ca, www.barnesandnoble.com, and in Chapters/Indigo bookstores in Canada.

It is also available at some public libraries in Canada and the United States.