Hana does her best to bury the memories of what
happened to her family during the war and other atrocities but the recent murder
of her best friend Amina Junuzovic has flooded her with feelings and memories
she has tried so hard to push away. She suspects the killing of her friend is
tied to Nura’s actions as the deadly Night Mora, a fierce warrior. Nura is
still “wanted” in Bosnia.
From there the story takes place on two timelines
that are interwoven until they lead the reader back to the present. David
Claypool, the detective with the St. Paul Police, has brought the news to Hana
about Amina’s murder and her request that in the event something happened to her
that Hana raise her grandson, Dylan. This announcement sends Hana back to
Bosnia in her mind where she recalls her life as a teenager who survived the
Bosnian War, first a victim of it and then a soldier fighting in it.
Claypool’s news and the facts she wheedles out
of him lead her to the conclusion that Amina was only a stepping-stone to the
hunt for Nura, the Night Mora. Hana becomes a soldier once again as she plots to
protect Dylan and find Amina’s killer
before he comes for them.
Allen Eskens developed
this novel about Hana/Nura, Amina, and the Bosnian War after listening to
Bosnian refugees in his community who told their stories of survival during the
war and of making their homes in Minnesota. Eskens, an award-winning author,
first found success with his best-selling novel The Life We Bury (2014),
a book club and reader favorite. He and his wife live in greater Minnesota.
My review
will be posted on Goodreads starting August 27, 2024.
I would like
to thank Mulholland Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return
for an objective review.
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