In As Long as You’re Mine by Nekesa Afia, the life of professional ballerina Thea Ross is turned upside down when her famous father commits suicide and leaves behind a confession to a decades-old murder. Determined to clear the fog of secrets surrounding her family, Thea partners with an investigative journalist and traces clues that pull her into the glittering yet treacherous world of 1930s Hollywood. As Thea digs deeper, she uncovers the story of Lorelei Davies, a struggling actress in the ’30s whose life was shaped by ambition, sacrifice, and hidden sins.

Afia weaves a dual-timeline narrative that connects Lorelei’s past and Thea’s present, revealing how long-buried secrets can influence identities and legacies. The tension builds as Thea must decide whether the truth is worth unearthing—even if it shatters the life she has built. Throughout, themes of family, identity, survival, and the cost of ambition pulse beneath the mystery, keeping readers captivated until the last page¹.