Whilst studying abroad at Salamanca University, French student Natascha is tasked by her grandmother to discover the truth behind the disappearance of her English friend, Joan, who was happily married to a Spaniard before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Initially reluctant, Natascha is gradually drawn into the past and begins to uncover the tragic last few months of Joan’s life in the beautiful village of Santo Domingo, nestled beneath the Bejar Mountains. Her enquiries are hampered by the overwhelming reluctance of the locals to speak of that horrific period in history, but Natascha is undeterred in her determination to reveal the truth – even if it leads her into danger...

Told in parallel is the story of Joan (or Juana); from her wedding in Burgos to the birth of her daughter and married life in Santo Domingo. This book details the violent struggles of civil war in a well-researched, emotionally-driven manner. Inspired by true events, it begins with Franco’s African army sweeping northwards, with killer squads employed to search out pockets of resistance.

An uncompromising look at the plight of ordinary people during the horrors of the Spanish Civil War.