by Muriel Spark
First published 1965
When a young English woman, a half-Jewish Catholic convert, insists on crossing the Mandelbaum Gate from Israel into Jordan, she sets off a chain of bizarre events. Caught in the crosshairs of political tensions and personal intrigue, she must navigate a labyrinth of shifting allegiances and dangerous secrets. As the stakes rise, she is forced to confront her own beliefs and the complexities of her identity. In this gripping tale, Muriel Spark weaves a tapestry of suspense, religious conflict, and the search for meaning in a divided world.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, suspense, mystery
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, shifting-allegiances
Setting: Israel, Jerusalem, Jordan
Period: 20th-century
272 pages · Paperback · Welcome Rain Publishers