Snow Gypsy

From the bestselling author of The Woman on the Orient Express comes a haunting novel of two women—one determined to uncover the past and the other determined to escape it.At the close of World War II, London is in ruins and Rose Daniel isn’t at peace. Eight years ago, her brother disappeared while fighting alongside Gypsy partisans in Spain. From his letters, Rose has just two clues to his whereabouts—his descriptions of the spectacular south slopes of the Sierra Nevada and his love for a woman who was carrying his child.In Spain, it has been eight years since Lola Aragon’s family was massacred. Eight years since she rescued a newborn girl from the arms of her dying mother and ran for her life. She has always believed that nothing could make her return…until a plea for help comes from a desperate stranger.Now, Rose, Lola, and the child set out on a journey from the wild marshes of the Camargue to the dazzling peaks of Spain’s ancient mountain communities. As they come face-to-face with war’s darkest truths, their lives will be changed forever by memories, secrets, and friendships.

“The Snow Gypsy is a jewel of a book with layers of light and depth. Through eloquent language, intriguing characters, and lavish historical detail, Lindsay Jayne Ashford brings to life two extraordinary women in post–World War II Europe and shows that although grief never completely fades, love and hope can still take us onward.” —Ann Howard Creel, bestselling author of The Whiskey Sea “Ashford drew me in from the start with her exquisite prose, then took me on a heartfelt and exotic journey through southern Spain and Provence. Moving insights into the Spanish Civil War are woven throughout the novel, and the story is told with beauty and compassion. Highly recommended.” —Ella Carey, bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say “The Snow Gypsy is a moving story of two women who have both been scarred by loss yet refuse to be defined by their pasts. Ashford immerses readers in the sights, smells, and tastes of Spain, from the sensuousness of flamenco dancing to the traditions of Gypsy culture and the lingering, tragic aftereffects of the Spanish Civil War. It’s easy to root for strong, inspiring heroines like Rose and Lola.” —Elizabeth Blackwell, bestselling author of In the Shadow of Lakecrest “An intriguing and enlightening journey viewed through the eyes of two independent and passionate women haunted by the pasts they must reconcile.” —Gemma Liviero, author of Broken Angels and Pastel Orphans

Raised in Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom, Lindsay Jayne Ashford became the first woman to graduate from Queens’ College, Cambridge, in its 550-year history. She earned a degree in criminology and was a reporter for the BBC before becoming a freelance journalist, writing for a number of national magazines and newspapers.Lindsay began her career as a novelist with a contemporary crime series featuring forensic psychologist Megan Rhys. She moved into historical mystery with The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen, and her three most recent books, Whisper of the Moon Moth, The Color of Secrets, and The Woman on the Orient Express, blend fiction with real events of the early twentieth century.She has four children and divides her time between a house overlooking the sea on the west coast of Wales and a small farmhouse in Spain’s Sierra de Los Filabres. When she’s not writing, she enjoys volunteering for Save the Children, kayaking, and walking her dogs, Milly and Pablo.