When naive Boston nurse Elsa Murphy volunteered at an aid agency, she thought it would be a good way for her to help others and see the world. What she didn't expect was to be sent to Afghanistan - not long after 9/11 - to serve a year in the trenches. Stationed in a remote village, Elsa soon comes to realise that her life will be changed forever by what she sees - and who she befriends. Emotionally powerful, accessible and timely, Lipstick in Afghanistan is a testament to the power of friendship and marks the debut of a strikingly authentic new voice in women's fiction.