Bel Canto

Based on the Japanese embassy hostage crisis of 1996-1997 in Lima, Peru, the novel follows the relationships among a group of young terrorists and their hostages, mostly high-profile executives and politicians, over several months.

The story highlights how opera becomes a central theme, binding the characters together despite their diverse backgrounds.

As the hostage situation prolongs, unexpected bonds of friendship and love form between the captors and the hostages.

The novel culminates in a tragic ending when government forces intervene, and it concludes with an epilogue that reunites some of the characters years later.