After the Nazis take her husband away, an illiterate old washerwoman joins the Resistance as a bike courier in the Central Italian countryside.

Genial and deceptively tentative insurance company detective Tom Lepski sets out to track down a valuable medieval Russian icon, stolen by master thief Bradley.

An immensely moving story of sacrifice, idealism and musical genius which charts the last five years of Frederick Delius's life through the eyes of a young composer and aide, Eric Fenby.