During World War II, David Pelham, a young British surgeon, parachutes into Yugoslavia and sets up a hospital to aid Tito's army. There he meets—and loves—the fiery Moja Javich, a resourceful partisan. Their love gives Pelham the strength to endure the atrocities of war as he seeks to avoid capture. Keneally has vigorously fleshed out "a bloody good novel" (Washington Post).