To Find a Mountain

Benedetta Carlessimo is no stranger to hardship. Ever since her mother died, the sixteen-year-old Italian girl has cared for her rambunctious younger siblings without complaint. Then World War II arrives on her doorstep, leaving her face-to-face with the most terrible evil she has ever witnessed.

With the Germans and Americans fighting furiously to control a strategic swath of Italy, Nazi forces seize Benedetta’s village, turning her home into a command center—and forcing her beloved father to choose between fleeing or fighting on the front lines.

In the midst of great deprivation, Benedetta struggles to feed both her family and the Nazis, all the while keeping her father’s whereabouts secret. Yet her blossoming love for a handsome young Italian man hiding in the mountains brings a sliver of joy to her life. But with the Americans advancing and the Germans growing increasingly desperate and cruel, Benedetta knows that one misstep could bring horrible repercussions...and only an extraordinary act of courage can save her family.

Revised edition: This edition of To Find a Mountain includes editorial revisions.

Dan Ames is a crime novelist and winner of the Independent Book Award for Crime Fiction. His books have reached the bestseller lists in the US and abroad. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Western Writers of America. Dan graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in journalism. He currently lives with his family in Detroit, Michigan.