The Place: Afghanistan. The Assignment: To find a missing American girl whose parents have not heard from her since her impetuous marriage to a young Afghan engineer. The girl was Ellen Jaspar. She was beautiful, daring, and bright. And fed up with being the pampered, obedient daughter of middle-class parents. Ellen wanted something more out of life than they could offer: she wanted to be free to do her thing. No one knew what that was. But it took her to a remote and primitive land. And that land had swallowed her up. Or so it seemed. Here is a dramatic, hair-raising adventure, alive with extraordinary people. As only he can, Michener brings the strange and exotic world of the Middle East to vibrant life in this colorful and suspenseful novel. [Text from back cover]