Every note tells a story of those the world forgot. But remembrance comes at a price.

In the shadows of post-war Soviet Union, Ján Balik, a quiet composer, has spent decades gathering the stories of the missing and the broken. He weaves their grief into melodies, ensuring every composition preserves their memory.

But Ján carries his own hidden scars: the loss of his family in Nazi-occupied Poland, the brutal years inside an orphanage and a labour camp, and the memories of the infamous "Dead Road" that refuse to let him go. For years, he has buried his pain in his music.

When Harper Burns, an ambitious reporter, arrives in search of the truth about Soviet orphanages, she believes Ján is the key to a long-overdue reckoning. To help her uncover the fate of the missing children and to complete his final composition, Ján must finally confront the story he has spent a lifetime avoiding: his own.

Songs of the Dead Road is a sweeping tale of memories, survival and redemption, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Heather Morris.