Lily Monadjemi

Lily Monadjemi is an Iranian-born author who specialises in fiction about life in Iran before and after the revolution. She is best known for her novels, including Blood and Carnations (1993) and The Scent of Love (2014).

Lily Izadi Monadjemi was born in Iran and educated in England and the United States. She holds a degree in Social Welfare and an MA in Educational Psychology.

After returning to Iran, she taught English and psychology at the National University of Iran until the Iranian revolution changed her life forever.

"After the revolution, when loved ones were executed and property confiscated, I immigrated to Australia with my family," she explained. In Sydney, she faced challenges but found resilience: "Life was hard, but with perseverance, hope and hard work, the hardest bridges were crossed."

Her writing emerged from this turbulent time, driven by a need to share stories of love, betrayal, acceptance and forgiveness. Blood and Carnations was published in Sydney in 1993, establishing her as a writer deeply connected to Iranian culture and history.

Monadjemi continued her literary career with A Matter of Survival (2010), which explores human struggles during political upheaval. In The Mulberry Tree (2012), she created a narrative of loyalty and family ties, further exploring themes central to her experiences.

Her novel The Scent of Love (2014), nominated by Sisters in Crime Australia for best thriller by a female author, tells a dual narrative set in 1938 and 2009. It follows the life of Mohammed Amitri, whose promising future is marred by a tragic marriage, and the darker events that unfold decades later. Monadjemi called it "a story of love and the darkness of the soul".

Lily Monadjemi now divides her time between Paris, London and Nashtaroud. She said: "My passion in life is writing, my belief is that we are all children of the same God.

Photo credit: lilymonadjemi.ampbk.com