Salt of the Earth (The Years Between Book 1)

Salt of the Earth is based on true events set in 1917 in the Alpine village of St Niklaus, Switzerland, during World War I. The story follows 14-year-old Seraphine, who manages the family farm while her father guards the Swiss borders, and a young medical graduate who arrives in the valley with revolutionary ideas about treatment. Dr Bayard, working under a local doctor's mentorship, becomes determined to address a centuries-old affliction affecting the mountain village. Armed with a theory, two sacks of salt, and a mule, he climbs the mountain to treat the tiny community. The narrative traces how Seraphine and Bayard's paths intersect during this turbulent period, as a country doctor confronts folklore, prejudice, and false pride in pursuit of a medical breakthrough. The novel explores themes of courage, conviction, love, and healing against the backdrop of WWI and personal struggles within a remote Alpine setting.