The wonderful cover, of a lone lady on a sand dune, only her footsteps to be seen, watching the burning sun cast deep shadows across the sand, is so good. The whole story is threaded through with undercurrents. The tensions in the 1960s as Morocco struggled to build up after its independence from France, with residual tensions with Europeans, Clemence has so many secrets that gradually are forced out into the open by relentless events, and the murder, kidnapping and old violence, all intermingle in such a clever and flowing way that you cannot put the book down. Dinah Jefferies has a genius for unveiling significant things, like incest, which then makes you think - ah-hah, so THAT is what that was, working away in the background. These "unveilings" are threaded throughout the book, keeping you glued to the pages. The "bedroom" scenes are so well, sensitively, and gently described with taste, beauty. This is just such a really, really good book, so well written, full of character, with excitement, action, very much a love story too, and even places where you find that you have a lump in your throat, you will love it.