Euphoria is a richly atmospheric novel set in the Territory of New Guinea between the two world wars. It follows English anthropologist Andrew Bankson, who has spent years in remote fieldwork among the Kiona river tribe. Grieving his brothers and worn down by isolation, he hovers near despair until a chance meeting changes everything.
When Bankson encounters fellow anthropologist Nell Stone and her sharp, unpredictable husband, Fen, he is drawn into their intense orbit. Nell and Fen have narrowly escaped a brutal tribe and are desperate for a new culture to study. Bankson leads them to a different community, hoping to reinvigorate their work—and his own purpose.
As the three collaborate, professional curiosity soon blurs into emotional entanglement. Intellectual excitement, jealousy, desire, and rivalry fuel a charged triangle that threatens their research and their relationships. Inspired by the life and work of pioneering anthropologist Margaret Mead, the novel explores the cost of discovery and the fragile boundaries between observer and observed.
With vivid landscapes and complex, fully realized characters, Euphoria offers a compelling blend of romance, psychological drama, and the thrill of cultural exploration.