The captivating new novel from the author of the smash hit THE ISLAND Sonia is in Granada to celebrate a friend's birthday with a dance class. She knows nothing of the city's shocking past, but ordering a simple cup of coffee in a quiet cafe will lead her into the extraordinary tale of a family's fight to survive the horror of Spain's civil war. Seventy years earlier, and Granada, under a new liberal government, is a place of freedom and optimism. In the Ramirez family's cafe, Concha and Pablo's children relish the atmosphere of hope. Antonio is a serious young teacher, Ignacio a flamboyant matador, and Emilio a skilled musician. Their sister, Mercedes, is a spirited girl whose sole passion is dancing. Her talent for flamenco develops and when she meets Javier Montero, a renowned young guitarist, an obsessional love affair begins. But Spain is a country in turmoil, and in 1936 a revolution begins that will tear their family apart. For Antonio, the pull of the battle is irresistible. For Mercedes, caught on the wrong side of the line, separation from Javier is unbearable. And everyone must take a side, and choose whether to submit, to fight or to attempt escape...