The novel follows Suleima, a Syrian woman living in exile in Germany. She receives a manuscript from Naseem, a writer she knew in Damascus, titled 'The Frightened Ones.' The manuscript chronicles the life of a woman paralyzed by fear, a life that eerily mirrors Suleima's own experiences and anxieties. As she reads, the lines between her reality and the fictional narrative blur, forcing her to confront the pervasive fear that has shaped her life, her relationships, and her identity in the shadow of the Syrian war. It's a profound exploration of trauma and the psychological scars of conflict.