Monika Helfer is the bestselling author of novels, short stories, and children's books, including, most recently, Vati [Daddy], Die Bagage [Last House Before the Mountain], and Die Bar im Freien [The Outdoor Bar]. This is her first novel to be translated into English. She lives in Hohenems, Austria.
Gillian Davidson is a literary translator based in London. She greatly admires Monika Helfer's work and Last House Before the Mountain is her first published work of translation.

'Beautiful and heartbreaking ... I absolutely loved it' Monica Ali, Sunday Times Bestselling author of Love Marriage
'The whole, biographically inspired family drama tells of the greatest feelings we have: Love, anger, envy and grief' Meike Schnitzler, Brigitte
Maria and Josef live with their children in a valley in westernmost Austria. When the First World War breaks out and Josef is drafted into the army, Maria is left to provide for her family alone. Every day is a struggle against starvation, the harsh alpine climate and the hostile nearby villagers who see Maria as little more than a beautiful temptress out for the men left behind. But when a red-haired stranger arrives in the village, Maria feels happiness seep back into her life and she faces a choice whose consequences will affect the lives of her family for generations to come.
Based on the internationally bestselling and award-winning Austrian novelist Monika Helfer's own family history, Last House Before the Mountain is a propulsive, haunting, multi-layered saga about love, family, and the hidden wages of war.