Maria Duenas's million copy best-selling tale of adventure tragedy love & war The Seamstress" a Richard & Judy 2012 book club pick. Spain 1936 & the brink of civil war. Young poor Sira Quiroga is swept up in a whirlwind romance with her wily love Ramiro. Fleeing Madrid together for Morocco her love blinds her to his real failings. Soon abandoned left penniless & in debt to the authorities she has to rely on the one skill she still possesses: sewing. Taken under the wing of the bullish but caring housekeeper Candelaria Sira is able to sew for the glamorous foreign English & German women in Tetouan. Privy to their unbridled gossip Sira becomes invaluable to the British secret service a position that is filled with untold risk. A story of danger espionage romance & war " The Seamstress" is a WWII tale like no other. " Maria Duenas is a true storyteller. Read this book & prepare to be transported." (Kate Morton author of " The House at Riverton"). "A wonderful novel with intrigue love mystery & tender audacious & clean-cut characters." (Mario Vargas Llosa). "A magnificent novel that flawlessly brings together history & intrigue." (Juan Gomez-Jurado author of " The Moses Expedition"). Maria Duenas holds a Ph D in English Philology & is currently a professor at the University of Murcia. She has also taught at American universities is the author of several academic articles & has participated in various educational cultural & editorial projects. She is currently writing her second novel."