This journalistic account traces the impact of the Sendero Luminoso-inspired civil war from 1983 to the mid-1990s. The Monkey’s Paw focuses on the civil defense brigades, Sendero’s women in their prison setting, and campesino refugees in Lima who fled their highland villages as a result of the war. Based on extensive interviews by a journalist who is fully familiar with the topic, this is one of the best sources for testimonials about the war from those most affected by it. It should not be overlooked by specialists seeking clear insights into the attitudes of both senderistas and those the movement terrorized.