A child prodigy, Bihzad is shielded from life as he grows up in the stunning fortress town of Agra. But soon word of his his wild, imaginative drawings free from the normal restrictions of court painting spreads.

In his spare time he paints a series of richly erotic scenes, but as his fame increases, he begins to make enemies who are jealous of his success and will use his hidden drawings to destroy him. Kunal Basu's first novel, "The Opium Clerk, " was published to critical acclaim.

Born in Calcutta, Basu now lives in Oxford, England. Kunal Basu has contributed to The Miniaturist as an author.

Basu was born in Calcutta but has spent much of his adult life in the USA and Canada where he taught at McGill University. He currently teaches at Oxford University's Templeton College (less)