In 1984, the Tisdale family arrives in Gashua, northern Nigeria, as Christian missionaries determined to make a difference. David and Laura, along with their sons seventeen-year-old Jonathan and four-year-old William, settle into a remote community governed by sharia law under the watchful rule of the Emir.

But when Jonathan falls in love with Amina—the Emir's beloved daughter—their forbidden relationship ignites a crisis that threatens everything. Under Islamic law, their love isn't just prohibited. It's punishable by death.

As Jonathan faces trial before the Emir's council, his family must navigate tribal tradition, religious law, and international diplomacy. The American Embassy races to intervene while the Emir wrestles with an impossible choice: uphold the law or spare a boy's life.

Caught between two worlds and two faiths, the Tisdales learn that good intentions cannot overcome centuries of tradition.

Decades later, William Tisdale returns to Gashua, confronting the place that destroyed his family and searching for answers about the tragedy that changed everything.

Gashua is a powerful tale of forbidden love, cultural collision, and the devastating cost when mercy fails and tradition demands its price. Perfect for readers of literary fiction exploring cross-cultural conflict, faith under fire, and the enduring impact of tragedy.