Zoe Temple, a young British journalist who dreams of being a war correspondent US officer Lt Rick Benes who is trying to get his platoon home alive Adel, an Iraqi, who wants revenge for the death of his father Mahmoud, an Iraqi driver, in a secret love affair with a Christian woman Nouri, an innocent man tortured in Abu Ghraib - In occupied Baghdad, their lives will come together - in a world of violence and mistrust, where every decision can be fatal, and love is found in unexpected quarters. And when a shocking incident at an American checkpoint leaves three people dead, it sets in motion a series of events that will have far-reaching consequences for them all. The Burden of the Desert is fast-paced and gripping, and asks questions that will linger long after the last page is turned. Via the lives of a fascinating group of characters, former war correspondent Justin Huggler memorably evokes the atmosphere of a military occupation whose aftershocks are still being felt today.