A Handful of Sand

About the Book

"The historical background is woven into the novel with ease made me want to study Mexican history again."
-Leonard Tourney, Author of Time's Fool

"A Handful of Sand has powerful characters and a historical sweep. McCaffrey is a gifted storyteller."
-Bill Johnson, Author of A Story Is A Promise

"This gripping story of love and war offers twists, turns, and suspense. Well written. Powerful."
-Bonnie Hearn Hill, Author of Double Exposure, Killer Body, Intern

A Latino Gone With The Wind occurring in Mexico at the same time as the United States civil war. Mexican patriots, Miguel and Isabella, a charismatic Juarista colonel and a fiery aristocrat, star-crossed lovers of different caste on opposite sides of a violent class struggle and repulse of a French invasion, fight for their country and against prejudice, each in their own way. Isabella, independent in a male-dominated society, betrays her father and class to give covert aid to Juarista guerrillas. Her clandestine love affair with Miguel is a maze of secrets, lies, and subplots with the intrigue and suspense of a mystery woven into tumultuous Mexican history. A dramatic twist leads to a poignant ending.

About the Author

Marylou McCaffrey taught children of Mexican migrant farm workers in Bakersfield, California, for twenty-five years. Her students celebrated Cinco de Mayo but didn?t know why. She taught them the history of the country to which they would return after harvest, and became fascinated with Mexico. She now lives in Fresno, California.