A Cipher in the Sand — Sandra Bolton

Even before the plane touches down in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sarah Nelson questions her motives for being there. By the time this feminist adventure novel ends, Sarah's life is forever altered as the naive and idealistic woman encounters more intrigue, danger, and mystery than she ever bargained for. The year is 1985, and Ronald Reagan is president. Following a recent divorce from her husband of 28 years, Sarah decides to join the Peace Corps. She leaves behind her Minnesota farm, a teaching career, and two grown children to begin a new life on the northern coast of Honduras, a poverty-stricken, tropical paradise, caught between the U.S. funded Contras and the Nicaraguan Sandinistas. The Garifunas, a unique Afro-Amerindian culture, are her nearest neighbors. Her closest ally in times of trouble is the ancient female tribal leader and spiritualist, Xiomara, who draws her into a mysterious world of the supernatural. A Cipher in the Sand offers the readers not only a glimpse into a fascinating third-world culture during a turbulent time in history, but also tells the story of Sarah, who, given a second chance at life and love, discovers a greater understanding of herself and the complex world in which she lives.