In this fast-paced thriller about love, betrayal, and the price of revenge, protagonist Martina comes of age in Croatia shortly before the fall of communism in Europe. After the atrocious war in her homeland takes away her innocence and her hometown of Vukovar falls prey to a superior enemy, she is forced to flee and seek refuge abroad. Left with nothing but haunting memories, Martina tries to rebuild her shattered life in New York, but the unforgiving metropolis bestows upon her challenges far greater than she could have foreseen. Not only does it bring back the man she once loved and lost, it forces her to relive the ghastly events from the past. She is suddenly trapped in the labyrinth of secrets and lies, unable to find a way out or someone she could trust.
Incorporating the elements of mystery and drama, this compelling tale centers on the life of a contagiously likable protagonist whose raw emotion authentically renders the experience of the war in Croatia. Recounted in gruesome detail, the war not only alters the course of Martina’s life, but also that of Vukovar, which in the midst of an unspeakable human tragedy emerges as the true hero.