Book excerpt: Grace and Simon set out on an adventure of a lifetime, traveling overland through a part of the Middle East known as the hippie trail. Heading out of Istanbul, Grace is oblivious to the fact that Simon is smuggling a priceless relic in the belly of their 1968 Volkswagen camper. They hook up and convoy with an eclectic bunch of free spirits, including a British undercover Interpol officer whose attraction to Grace becomes problematic to his investigation. Moving further through exotic lands teeming with the remains of ancient civilizations, drug-generating poppy fields and threatening, proud tribesmen, the group encounters unique societies and experiences, while at the same time discovering each other. But things are not as they appear. What started for Grace as an innocuous, well-planned journey quickly changes into closely guarded secrets, deceit, and murder.