The Far Side of the Desert

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Published by: Oceanview Publishing
Release Date: March 5, 2024
Pages: 320
ISBN13: 978-1608095353

 
Overview

A terrorist attack—a kidnapping—the ultimate vacation gone wrong

Sisters Samantha and Monty Waters are vacationing together in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, enjoying a festival and planning to meet with their brother, Cal. But the idyllic plans are short-lived—when terrorists' attacks rock the city around them, Monty, a U.S. foreign service officer, and Samantha, an international television correspondent, are separated, and one of them is whisked away in the frenzy.

The family mobilizes, using all their contacts to try to find their missing sister, but to no avail. She has vanished. As time presses on, the outlook darkens. Can she be found, or is she a lost cause? And, even if she returns, will the damage to her and those around her be irreparable?

Moving from Spain to Washington to Morocco to Gibraltar to the Sahara Desert, The Far Side of the Desert is a family drama and political thriller that explores links of terrorism, crime, and financial manipulation, revealing the grace that ultimately foils destruction.

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Daniel Silva

Praise

"The Far Side of the Desert is that rare story-a literary work and a first-rate thriller. Joanne Leedom-Ackerman, who has traveled the world advocating for human rights, is one of the few writers today who can construct a superb and complex international spy novel. The Far Side of the Desert is stellar."
—Jennifer Clement, former President of PEN International and award-winning novelist of Prayers for the Stolen, Gun Love and The Widow Basquiat

"The Far Side of the Desert is a riveting thriller with richly nuanced characters and fast-paced action. The plot imaginatively taps into recent history to illustrate the human dimensions of terrorism-both the complex psyche of the perpetrators and the gnawing questions among those sucked into their vortex. I binged until the end."
—Robin Wright, author of Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World

"The Far Side of the Desert by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman is a razor-sharp tale of sisters, daughters, spies, and lovers; some relatable, some who appear to be beyond redemption, and some whose acts of good or evil are much harder to tease apart. Deftly managing the tightrope between the tightly-paced geopolitical and the nuanced psychological, Leedom-Ackerman delivers a thriller that transcends genre and has stayed with me long after I read it in one breathless sitting. The Far Side of the Desert is one of my top reads this year!"
—Deborah Goodrich Royce, best-selling author of Reef Road, Ruby Falls, and Finding Mrs. Ford

"A thoroughly enjoyable read. I hesitate to call The Far Side of the Desert a page-turner, but only because it's so much more, with characters that will stay with you long after you finish."
—James Grippando, New York Times best-selling author

"Joanne Leedom-Ackerman did it again with The Far Side of the Desert...what an amazing, engrossing story that pulls you until the very last page. The book kicks off with a compelling hook, but then Joanne subtly and intelligently lays the foundation of the characters and the plot, masterfully putting everything into place in an intriguing yet casual way. Then the story takes off with international terrorists, criminals, suspected spies, family struggles, trauma and love, lies, half-truths, and a cast that has layers as deep and twisted as the world they inhabit. This story will make you feel the scorching heat of the desert, the pain of loss, and unrelenting desire for retribution. It's another must read from Joanne Leedom-Ackerman."
—Adam Sikes, author of Landslide and The Underhanded