Like the apparently random eruption of one of the volcanoes that loom over the skyline of Ecuador, where this novel is set, a terrible crime disrupts and reshapes the destinies. of Sandra, the young reporter, Claudio, the detective, and Victor, the sociologist as they deal with the consequences of infanticide. More profoundly, this gripping story brings the reader into the heart of the devastated mother as she struggles to overcome immeasurable pain and horror, and cope with her excruciatingly complex relationship with the murderer. It is also a testimony to the spiritual resources the Church provides to victims of adversity who turn to their faith. It ends in a transcendental moment of resurrection. The author provides compelling and profoundly Christian insights into the meaning of events so contrary to people's aspirations, as to plunge them into revolt against God's impotence or, perhaps worse, against His apparent indifference to suffering and injustice. This spiritual and psychological narrative also explores the differences between European and traditional Andean culture, as both attempt to restore meaning and purpose to people shaken by the horror of a crime that has brought shame to their community.