After her twin sister's mysterious death, Clea assumes her identity as "Justina" and returns to Spain, the place of their birth. Using the novel, Carmen, as her guide, she seeks clues about her sister among the flamenco demi-monde, first in Madrid and then Sevilla. As she digs deeper into her past, she is haunted by memories of her Jewish mother's search for their missing father, a Gitano singer. Wherever she goes, Justina leaves a wake of broken hearts, outraged rivals, and puzzled friends as she entangles their desires and destinies in her own. Like Don Quixote, her life imitates art as she is manipulated by the witch Celestina and loved by a Basque double agent until she finally finds her sister's lover on a movie set.