City of Lies: Love, Sex, Death and the Search for Truth in Tehran follows the story of Somayah, a 17-year-old devout schoolgirl in South Tehran whose strict moral upbringing clashes with her emerging sexuality after a friend is seen leaving a boy's house. Her personal struggle reflects the wider tensions faced by young people living under a restrictive regime where private desires often collide with public expectations.

Written and narrated by journalist Ramita Navai, the book draws on real stories of individuals whose lives have been shaped and, at times, damaged by political and social repression. Many of these accounts were previously censored, and names and identifying details have been changed to protect those involved. The work offers an intimate portrait of love, fear, hypocrisy and resilience in contemporary Tehran.

Navai, an award-winning foreign affairs journalist and documentary maker, began writing the book while reporting in Tehran. The book has received critical acclaim and literary recognition for its unflinching exploration of truth and survival in a society marked by secrecy and control.