In this heartwarming and feel-good novel filled with echoes of Dorothea Benton Frank, Debbie Macomber and Elizabeth Berg, two women separated by a generation but equally scarred by war find hope, meaning – and each other – through a garden of heirloom flowers.
Iris Maynard lost her husband in World War II, her daughter to loneliness and, finally, her reason to live. Walled off from the world for decades behind a towering fence surrounding her home and gardens, the former botanist has built a new family…of flowers. Iris propagates her own daylilies and roses while tending to an heirloom garden filled with starts – and memories – of her own mother, grandmother, husband and daughter.
When Abby Peterson moves to Grand Haven, Michigan, with her family – a husband traumatized during his service in the Iraq War and a young daughter searching for stability – they find themselves next door to Iris, and are slowly drawn into her reclusive neighbour’s life where, united by loss and a love of flowers, Iris and Abby slowly unearth their secrets to each other. Eventually, the two teach one another that the earth grounds us all, gardens are a grand healer, and as flowers bloom so do our hopes and dreams.
Review
Iris has decided to rent her house next door to a small family. She has no intention of having anything to do with them. Iris is a recluse and all she needs is her garden. However, life has a way of throwing you curve balls. This little family ends up changing her life.
This story is a wonderful read about healing and love of family and friends. It is full of some of the best characters ever. I fell in love with Iris. She is so beaten down by life but she keeps going strong. She is an extremely smart woman and that always appeals to me. Then there is Abby. She has to be tough to overcome what life has thrown at her. Cory, her husband is broken from his experience in Iraq. He knows he has to pull himself together for his family. But, my all time favorite character is Lilly. She is Abby and Cory’s little girl and she is just amazing.
I love the way the author throws in unique aspects of history. Lots of little tidbits here and there. And the flowers! I really enjoyed just about everything in this novel. This is such a well written story. It is hard to believe I have never read a book by this author.
Don’t miss this one! Grab it today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Viola Shipman is the pen name for Wade Rouse, a popular, award-winning memoirist. Rouse chose his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman, to honor the woman whose heirlooms and family stories inspire his writing. Rouse is the author of The Summer Cottage, as well as The Charm Bracelet and The Hope Chest which have been translated into more than a dozen languages and become international bestsellers. He lives in Saugatuck, Michigan and Palm Springs, California, and has written for People, Coastal Living, Good Housekeeping, and Taste of Home, along with other publications, and is a contributor to All Things Considered.
A Spring 2020 Okra Pick Parade’s 20 Most Anticipated Books of Early 2020 SheKnows’ 10 of the Most Anticipated Books Coming in 2020 Mary Kay Andrews’ Reading Challenge Women’s Fiction Pick Working Mother’s 20 Most Anticipated Books of 2020 for Working Moms
From “the next major voice in Southern fiction” (Elin Hilderbrand) and the bestselling author of the Peachtree Bluff series comes an odd-couple tale of friendship that asks just how much our past choices define our happiness.
It’s summertime on the North Carolina coast and the livin’ is easy.
Unless, that is, you’ve just lost your mother to cancer, your sister to her extremist husband, and your husband to his executive assistant. Meet Gray Howard. Right when Gray could use a serious infusion of good karma in her life, she inadvertently gets a stranger, Diana Harrington, fired from her job at the local pharmacy.
Diana Harrington’s summer isn’t off to the greatest start either: Hours before losing her job, she broke up with her boyfriend and moved out of their shared house with only a worn-out Impala for a bed. Lucky for her, Gray has an empty guest house and a very guilty conscience.
With Gray’s kindness, Diana’s tide begins to turn. But when her first love returns, every secret from her past seems to resurface all at once. And, as Gray begins to blaze a new trail, she discovers, with Diana’s help, that what she envisioned as her perfect life may not be what she wants at all.
In her warmest, wisest novel yet, Kristy Woodson Harvey delivers a discerning portrait of modern womanhood through two vastly different lenses. Feels Like Falling is a beach bag essential for Harvey fans—and for a new generation of readers.
Review
Gray’s world has recently shifted. She is getting divorced, her sister has married an extremist and her mother just died of cancer. Enter Diana. Gray caused Diana to lose her job…well sort of. So, what else are you supposed to do…you move Diana into your guest house.
Diana has struggled her whole life. Foster homes, bad decisions and bad boyfriends have kept her from succeeding. Gray is determined to change this. She gives Diana a job and a place to live. But…above all this, she gives Diana love and friendship.
No one has better characters than Kristy Woodson Harvey. Gray and Diana have great sparring matches and friendship laughter. Then there is Trey. Trey is Gray’s assistant and I just love him! He needs his own novel!
I have enjoyed all of Kristy’s books. However, I think this is her best! I found myself laughing and crying throughout this whole story. I love a book which takes you on a roller coaster ride.
Unflinching and unforgettable. Little Secrets has everything you want in a thriller” —Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of Lock Every Door Overwhelmed by tragedy, a woman desperately tries to save her marriage in award-winning author Jennifer Hillier’s Little Secrets, a riveting novel of psychological suspense.
All it takes to unravel a life is one little secret…
Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They’re admired in their community and are a loving family—until their world falls apart the day their son Sebastian is taken.
A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding Sebastian, she learns that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman. This discovery sparks Marin back to life. She’s lost her son; she’s not about to lose her husband, too. Kenzie is an enemy with a face, which means this is a problem Marin can fix.
Permanently.
Review
Marin’s little boy is missing. It’s been over a year and she is struggling to accept it. She has hired a private investigator to keep looking after the police investigation has gone cold. From this investigation, she discovers her husband is having an affair. Marin does something to fix this problem.
Marin is a character which pulls at your heart. You just want to hug her and at the same time…you want to shake her. She makes some questionable decisions. But, you understand why. Marin is definitely an enigma.
There is so much I want to say about this book, talk about wicked! It just keeps twisting till it cannot twist any more. I have never been a fan of books where a child is missing. I will be honest…I am surprised I did not put this story aside. It is just not what I like to read. But, this book just keeps coming at you. It does not stop!
I loved another book by this author called Jar of Hearts. Check it out as well. It is fantastic. Little Secrets is a good story but it does not carry the intensity which Jar of Hearts does. But, you cannot go wrong with either book.
If you are looking for a book which keeps you guessing, THIS IS IT!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Book Summary: Sometimes the happiness we’re looking for has been there all along…
Adele and Justine have never been close. Born twenty years apart, Justine was already an adult when Addie was born. The sisters love each other but they don’t really know each other.
When Addie dropped out of university to care for their ailing parents, Justine, a successful lawyer, covered the expenses. It was the best arrangement at the time but now that their parents are gone, the future has changed dramatically for both women.
Addie had great plans for her life but has been worn down by the pressures of being a caregiver and doesn’t know how to live for herself. And Justine’s success has come at a price. Her marriage is falling apart despite her best efforts.
Neither woman knows how to start life over but both realize they can and must support each other the way only sisters can. Together they find the strength to accept their failures and overcome their challenges. Happiness is within reach, if only they have the courage to fight for it.
Set in the stunning coastal town of Half Moon Bay, California, Robyn Carr’s new novel examines the joys of sisterhood and the importance of embracing change.
Review
Addie and Justine are sisters and both are experiencing new aspects of life. Addie has given up her goals to care for her parents. They have recently passed away and now she finds herself floundering. Justine has a fabulous career as a high powered attorney. When she finds her husband has been cheating on her, she realizes she must let her marriage go and discover that life must go on.
These two ladies are both tough in their own way. They are also scared about what life is about to throw at them. However, they show strength and resilience. Neither one will let life beat them.
I loved these two sisters. They are so different. Addie is shy and an introvert. Justine has an outer shell that is hard as a rock but she has a heart that is vulnerable. These two never give up.
I have admired Robyn Carr forever. All of her books keep you engaged and uplifted. She has the best characters and great stories. She will always be one of my favorite authors. And she is a super nice lady. I have met her several times at book expo. She is one of the BEST!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Robyn Carr is an award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty novels, including highly praised women’s fiction such as Four Friends and The View From Alameda Island and the critically acclaimed Virgin River, Thunder Point and Sullivan’s Crossing series. Virgin River is now a Netflix Original series. Robyn lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit her website at www.RobynCarr.com.
Mrs. Ford leads a privileged life. From her Blenheim spaniels to her cottage on the coast of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, she carefully curates her world. Hair in place, house in place, life in place, Susan Ford keeps it under control.
Early one morning in the summer of 2014, the past pays a call to collect. The FBI arrives to question her about a man from Iraq—a Chaldean Christian from Mosul—where ISIS has just seized control. Sammy Fakhouri, they say, is his name and they have taken him into custody, picked up on his way to her house.
Back in the summer of 1979, on the outskirts of a declining Detroit, college coed Susan meets charismatic and reckless Annie. They are an unlikely pair of friends but they each see something in the other—something they’d like to possess. Studious Susan is a moth to the flame that is Annie. Yet, it is dazzling Annie who senses that Susan will be the one who makes it out of Detroit.
Together, the girls navigate the minefields of a down-market disco where they work their summer jobs. It’s a world filled with pretty girls and powerful men, some of whom—like Sammy Fakhouri—happen to be Iraqi Chaldeans.
What happened in that summer of 1979 when Susan and Annie met? Why is Sammy looking for Susan all these years later? And why is Mrs. Ford lying?
Review
Susan has a perfect life. She is rich, she has several homes and a pretty good family. But, all this falls apart when the FBI show up at her door. They ask her about an Iraqi named Sammy Fakhouri. All of a sudden…her past is back to haunt her!
Flashback to the 70’s. Susan and Annie become very good friends while they are working at a disco. It is a fast paced job with some unique situations. (You will have to read this to find out! ). Annie starts to go off the rails. Susan does all she can. But, Annie is in over her head and taking Susan with her.
When this story first began I found the writing a little blunt, sort of choppy. But as I found my rhythm, I actually enjoyed the shortness in the tone. The story moves quickly and has a good deal of intensity. Plus, I was constantly wondering where this tale was going to lead. And it sure did not end up the way I expected!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
About The Author:
Deborah began her acting career in 1982 in the lead role of Silver Kane (sister of the legendary, Erica Kane) on ABC’s ALL MY CHILDREN. She went on to star in dozens of feature films, television shows, mini-series and TV movies.
After the birth of her daughters, she moved with her family to Paris and worked as a reader for le Studio Canal Plus. In the 1990’s, Deborah was the story editor at Miramax Films, overseeing readers, manuscript acquisitions and script development, including editing such notable screenplays as EMMA by Doug McGrath.
With writing partner, Mitch Giannunzio, Deborah won a grant from the Massachusetts Arts Council in 2002 to develop and workshop their original screenplay, SUSAN TAFT HAS RUN AMOK.
With her husband, Chuck, Deborah restored the1939 Avon Theatre in Stamford, CT. Under her leadership, the Avon hosts an ongoing series of film luminaries, most recently, Mira Nair, Richard Gere and Chloe Sevigny. The late Gene Wilder, a longstanding advisory board member of the Avon, was an early advocate for Deborah’s writing.
Deborah and Chuck have also restored several hotels (Ocean House, Deer Mountain Inn, and Weekapaug Inn), a bookstore (The Savoy in Westerly, RI), and numerous other “Main Street” buildings. Deborah serves on multiple boards, including the national council of the American Film Institute, the executive board of the Greenwich International Film Festival, and the governing boards of the New York Botanical Garden, the Greenwich Historical Society, and the PRASAD Project.
New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson brings you a brand-new story in the Forged of Steeleseries. Perfect for fans of the popular Westmorelandseries and readers of passionate contemporary romances!
A notorious heartbreaker is about to meet his match… Will a damsel in distress be his redemption?
When the “thief” caught driving his stolen vintage car turns out to be a stunning runaway heiress, Mercury Steele is conflicted. On the one hand, Sloan Donahue, penniless and on the run from her tyrannical family, triggers the billionaire playboy’s protective instincts. But she also triggers red-hot desire. Mercury refuses to think his simple seduction is becoming something deeper, especially when Sloan is keeping secrets…
Excerpt
SEDUCED BY A STEELE by Brenda Jackson
A feeling of relief swept through Mercury when he located his car. Parking in the space beside it,
he quickly got out and glanced around the shops in the mall, wondering where the driver had gone.
He was pissed when he pulled his phone out of his jacket to call the police again to give them his
exact location. Putting his phone back, he walked around his car and was glad not to see any dents.
Other than need-ing a good wash job, the old girl looked good. Deciding to check the interior, he pulled
his car keys out of his pocket to open the door.
“Get away from my car!”
Mercury snatched his head up and was instantly mesmerized by the beauty of the woman’s dark
brown eyes, shoulder-length curly hair that cascaded around an oval face, high cheekbones, the smooth
and creamy texture of her cocoa-colored skin and one pair of the sexiest lips he’d ever seen on a
woman.
He immediately flashed her one of his wolfish smiles and was about to go into man-whore mode
until what she’d said stopped him. Then he became blinded to all that gorgeous beauty. “Your car?”
“Yes, my car. Now get away from it before I call the police.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “This is my car. It was stolen from me three nights ago.”
“You’re lying,” the woman snapped.
Calling him a liar was a big mistake. The one thing he despised more than anything was for
someone to question his integrity. “If you think that, then by all means call the police. However, you
don’t have to call them since I already have. You’re the thief, not me.”
“I am not a thief,” she said, feeling brave enough to step closer and glare at him.
“Nor am I a liar,” he said, glaring back. Suddenly a police cruiser with flashing blue lights pulled
up and two officers quickly got out. One was Sherman Aikens, one of Jonas’s old high school friends. “I
see you’ve found your car, Mercury.”
Mercury frowned over at him. “No thanks to you guys who should have been looking for it. And
my car was never lost, it was stolen, and she’s the person who has it.”
“It’s my car!”
Both officers glanced over at the woman and Mercury glowered. Instead of saying anything,
they just stared at her, male appreciation obvious in their gazes. “For crying out loud, aren’t you going to
ask to see her papers on the vehicle since she claims to be the owner?” he snapped out at the officers.
Sherman broke eye contact with the woman to frown at Mercury. “I was going to get to that.” In
a voice Mercury felt was way too accommodating, considering the circumstances, Sherman said,
“Ma’am, I need to see papers on this vehicle, because it resembles one reported stolen three nights
ago.”
“It is the one that was stolen three nights ago,” Mercury snapped while ignoring Sherman’s
frown. As far as Mercury was concerned, Sherman could become smitten with the woman on someone
else’s time.
“Stolen! That’s not possible, Officer,” the woman said, looking alarmed. “Why would anyone
want to steal that car? Look at it. It’s old.”
Mercury glared at her while Sherman and the other officer unsuccessfully tried hiding their
grins. “It’s a classic, and if it’s so old for your taste, why did you buy it like you claim you did?” Mercury
asked her.
“Because I needed transportation and it was in my budget,” she said, pulling papers from her
purse. “I just bought it yesterday.” She handed the papers to Sherman.
Mercury thought it took Sherman longer than necesary to switch his gaze from the woman to
the papers. He then said in a too-apologetic voice, “Sorry, ma’am, but these papers are fake.”
Shock flew to her face. “Fake? But that’s not possible. A nice gentleman sold the car to me.”
“That ‘nice’ man conned you into buying a stolen car,” Mercury said, ignoring Sherman’s
narrowed gaze as well as the woman’s thunderstruck expression.
Switching her gaze from Mercury to Sherman, she said, “Please tell me that’s not true, Officer. I
gave him three hundred dollars.”
“Three hundred dollars?” Mercury asked, not believing what she’d said.
Lifting her chin, she added, “Yes, I knew the car wasn’t worth that much, but the man looked a
little down on his luck and needed the money.”
Mercury shook his head. “You got that car for a steal, no pun intended. Do you not know the
value of that car? It’s worth over two hundred thousand dollars easily.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.” Ridiculous? She had bought a stolen car from some-
one who she thought was a nice man, and she thought he was being ridiculous? He was about to give
her a scathing reply, but Sherman’s look warned him not to do so.
“Yes, ma’am, unfortunately that man did run a scam on you,” Sherman said. “I hate you lost all
that money. I need you to come down to police headquarters and give us a statement, including a
description of the man who sold you the car. We will be on the lookout for him.”
“Like you guys were on the lookout for my car?” Mercury said under his breath, but when
Sherman shot him a disapproving glare, he knew he’d been heard regardless.
Sherman turned to him. “We’re going to have to impound the car. You and Miss Donahue need
to come down to police headquarters to give statements.”
“But I’m on my way to a job interview,” the woman said, suddenly looking distressed.
Mercury refused to feel an ounce of sympathy for her since he too would be late for an
interview with a potential new client. Now he would have to reschedule. Every sports agent alive would
want to sign on Nor-ris Eastwood, but the parents of the high school senior with plans to go straight into
the NBA had sought out Mercury. He hoped being a no-show this morning wouldn’t be a negative
against him. If it was, then he had this woman to blame.
“Are you okay with that, Mercury?”
When he heard his name, he glanced up. “Am I okay with what?” He saw the other officer had
pulled the woman off to the side to take down some information. “Giving Miss Donahue a ride to the
police station,” Sherman said.
“Don’t you have room in the police car? That’s the normal way you transport criminals, isn’t it?
For all we know, she could be in cahoots with the person who stole my car.”
Sherman rolled his eyes. “You don’t believe that any more than I do, Mercury. It’s obvious she’s
an innocent victim who doesn’t belong in the back of a patrol car. She’s no more a thief than we are.
Look at her.”
Mercury didn’t want to look at her, but he did any-way. He immediately thought the same thing
he had when he’d first seen her. She was a very beautiful woman. Her features were just that striking.
And then there was that delectable-looking figure in a navy blue pencil skirt and white blouse. Sexy as
hell. But still…
Author bio
About Brenda Jackson: Brenda Jackson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than one hundred romance titles. Brenda lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family, writing and traveling. Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.
About SEDUCED BY A STEELE:
New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson brings you a brand-new story in the Forged of Steele series. Perfect for fans of the popular Westmoreland series and readers of passionate contemporary romances!
A notorious heartbreaker is about to meet his match…Will a damsel in distress be his redemption?
When the “thief” caught driving his stolen vintage car turns out to be a stunning runaway heiress, Mercury Steele is conflicted. On the one hand, Sloan Donahue, penniless and on the run from her tyrannical family, triggers the billionaire playboy’s protective instincts. But she also triggers red-hot desire. Mercury refuses to think his simple seduction is becoming something deeper, especially when Sloan is keeping secrets…
In book two of the Triple Goddess Series, Laura’s story is unveiled as she navigates life after her mother’s death. The viciousness of her father’s mistress continues to haunt her thoughts, and she uses magic to guide her next steps. On her new path, Laura connects with a free-spirited man who pulls at her heartstrings, and their bond dramatically shifts the direction of her life.
Maggie’s magical abilities enhance as she teams up with her new best friend, Polly. The girls unite through witchcraft to solve a problem that pops up in the small town of Hawthorne.
Can magic and fortune-telling bring clarity in the darkness for two young witches?
Sisters in the Craft is a journey of friendships that strengthen and break, budding love, and the mystical thread that connects three generations.
An Excerpt
We heard bells clanging outside, and I stood up to see the wind chimes on the back porch swinging around. “The wind must have picked up.” But as the words left my mouth I noticed the tree branches were still.
Polly stood up and walked to the back door to look out the glass window. “Nope, you have fairies.”
I laughed, but Polly’s face was serious. “C’mon, fairies?” I smirked.
Polly shifted her head. “Are you going to tell me that you’re a witch who believes in magic but not fairies?” She shook her finger at me in disappointment.
“Well, it’s not that I don’t believe in them. I just haven’t seen them before.”
“You should create a fairy altar and leave them offerings. They’ll love you forever. I have a fairy circle in my backyard with a little altar. I leave them milk and honey.”
“Whoa, that is freakin’ cool. Did you see them after you started leaving them treats?”
Polly munched on a cookie. “No, actually I’ve seen them since I was a little girl,” she said as she swallowed. “Our old backyard had a fence that was full of morning glories. I used to see sparkles …”
I screamed before she could finish her sentence. “Sparkles?! I see sparkles! No one ever understands what I’m talking about, well, my mom did say that it could mean that I was connecting with spirits, but I …”
“Maggie, take a breath!” Polly said with a laugh.
I jumped out of my seat and grabbed Polly by the arms, and we jumped in circles until my mom’s hutch cabinet started to shake. “This is so exciting! I don’t feel like the ultimate freak anymore. Now you are a complete freak with me!”
Polly shook her head and said, “I’m not sure if I should be flattered or upset, but okay.” She shrugged.
“Okay, sit down,” I said “Tell me more about the sparkles. I need to hear your stories and see if they’re similar to mine.”
Polly began to tell me about how she would stare out of her third-floor bedroom window and watch the fairies jump from flower to flower. They moved so fast that all she could see were flashes, like fireflies jumping around her yard. It always happened at dusk. Finally, she decided to tell her mom, who encouraged Polly to set up a fairy altar and leave offerings for them. She said Polly had a special sight to see the realm of the fae. Throughout the years, Polly kept an active connection with the fairies, and they adored her and always made themselves open to her.
About the Author
Sage Adderley-Knox resides in the magical land of Olympia, Washington, where she swoons over the breathtaking view of Mount Rainier. She is a writing coach, a single mom of three, and a vintage typewriter collection. Sage is passionate about coffee, kindness, and snail mail.
From the bestselling author of The Things We Cannot Say comes a poignant post-WWII novel that explores the expectations society places on women set within an engrossing family mystery that may unravel everything once believed to be true.
With her father recently moved to a care facility, Beth Walsh volunteers to clear out the family home and is surprised to discover the door to her childhood playroom padlocked. She’s even more shocked at what’s behind it—a hoarder’s mess of her father’s paintings, mounds of discarded papers and miscellaneous junk in the otherwise fastidiously tidy house.
As she picks through the clutter, she finds a loose journal entry in what appears to be her late mother’s handwriting. Beth and her siblings grew up believing their mother died in a car accident when they were little more than toddlers, but this note suggests something much darker.
Beth soon pieces together a disturbing portrait of a woman suffering from postpartum depression and a husband who bears little resemblance to the loving father Beth and her siblings know. With a newborn of her own and struggling with motherhood, Beth finds there may be more tying her and her mother together than she ever suspected.
Review
I have never read this author before…but I am about to read everything she has ever written!
Beth has been given the task of cleaning out her father’s house. She comes across many disturbing paintings and some notes from her mother. Her mother passed away years ago. But these notes tell a different story than what Beth and her siblings were led to believe.
This is the best book of 2020 for me! I finished it several days ago and I am still thinking about it. This book gives you all the feels…anger, sadness, hope, love…it has it all. The anguish…oh the anguish in this book is astounding. The postpartum depression experienced by Beth and her mother just tear your heart and soul apart. The author did a FANTASTIC job.
There are so many parts to this book and I want to touch on them all. The characters, the story, the mystery make up one fabulously written novel! However, I am a firm believer in short reviews…so JUST READ THIS BOOK NOW!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kelly Rimmer is the worldwide and USA TODAY bestselling author of Before I Let You Go, Me Without You, and The Secret Daughter. She lives in rural Australia with her husband, two children and fantastically naughty dogs, Sully and Basil. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. Please visit her at www.Kelly.Rimmer.com
A gripping and subversive novel about the slippery nature of the truth and the tragic consequences of American idealism.
Leonora Gelb came to Peru to make a difference. A passionate and idealistic Stanford grad, she left a life of privilege to fight poverty and oppression, but her beliefs are tested when she falls in with violent revolutionaries. While death squads and informants roam the streets and suspicion festers among the comrades, Leonora plans a decisive act of protest—until her capture in a bloody government raid, and a sham trial that sends her to prison for life.
Ten years later, Andres—a failed novelist turned expat—is asked to write a magazine profile of “La Leo.” As his personal life unravels, he struggles to understand Leonora, to reconstruct her involvement with the militants, and to chronicle Peru’s tragic history. At every turn he’s confronted by violence and suffering, and by the consequences of his American privilege. Is the real Leonora an activist or a terrorist? Cold-eyed conspirator or naïve puppet? And who is he to decide?
In this powerful and timely new novel, Andrew Altschul maps the blurred boundaries between fact and fiction, author and text, resistance and extremism. Part coming-of-age story and part political thriller, The Gringa asks what one person can do in the face of the world’s injustice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Altschul is the author of the novels Lady Lazarus (2008) and Deus Ex Machina(2011). His work has appeared in Esquire, McSweeney’s, The Wall Street Journal,Ploughshares, Fence, One Story, and other publications, and in anthologies including Best New American Voices, Best American Nonrequired Reading, and O. Henry Prize Stories. A former Wallace Stegner Fellow and Jones Lecturer at Stanford University, he has received fellowships from the Bread Loaf and Sewanee Writers Conferences, the Ucross Foundation, the Fundación Valparaíso, and the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center. He was the founding books editor at The Rumpus and is a Contributing Editor at Zyzzyva. The former director of the Center for Literary Arts at San Jose State University, he now directs the Creative Writing program at Colorado State University. He lives in Fort Collins, CO.
“Beautifully executed… gripping… a multi-layered, immersive novel in which the atmosphere and history of Peru leap off the page.” — Times of London
“Impressively textured… a story with an activist’s righteous energy and a novelist’s psychological depth.” — The Los Angeles Times
“Fiery, probing… a deeply humane book, one that reminds us that the best questions are those that are both urgent and impossible to answer.” — The Forward
“Altschul’s ambitious and culturally aware novel is a captivating depiction of passion, disenchantment, and hope gone violently awry.” —Booklist(starred review)
“Rousing and complex. Altschul’s stirring portrait… poses a salient question about the value of personal sacrifice.” — Publishers Weekly
“Psychologically rich and closely observed… A sensitive portrayal of the search for meaning in an unforgiving world.” — Kirkus
“A poignant, provocative, and necessary novel for our times.” — Largehearted Boy
“An exciting addition to the literature of terrorism and revolution.” — Karan Mahajan, author ofThe Association of Small Bombs
“Andrew Altschul is a radiantly wise and uncannily perceptive writer.” — Molly Antopol, author ofThe UnAmericans
“Utterly immersing, excoriatingly intelligent… eccentric, raging, demanding. The word is ‘masterpiece.’” — Mark Slouka, author of The Visible World
From the USA Today bestselling author of THE SILENT WOMAN comes a new Cat Carlisle mystery!
In a time of war, nowhere is safe…
While World War Two rages, Cat Carlisle runs a women’s refuge to protect beaten wives. But when one of the women is found dead in the woods behind the house, Cat’s world shatters.
Was the killer a violent husband seeking revenge? A secret lover? Or is something more dangerous at play? Because Cat and her fiancé Thomas have a secret: they’re hiding a precious golden chalice, keeping it locked safely away from the plundering Nazis until the war is over. But someone wants that treasure, and no one will be safe until they get it…
Review
Cat runs a home for women. She takes in battered and abused women to give them a chance to overcome their adversity and to help them start a new life. One of the ladies is murdered and it becomes a threat to all Cat has created.
There is a good bit going on in this tale. Not only do is there a murder, there is a chalice being smuggled out of France. Cat and her Fiancé agree to help hide this chalice and keep it safe. That is easier said than done…criminals are determined to snatch it!
This is a cozy mystery. A good palate cleanser. I have never read a Cat Carlisle story and this hit the spot. Every twist and turn brings on a new question…who, what, when and where!
This is a quick, enjoyable story which just won’t quit!
About The Author:
Terry Lynn writes the Sarah Bennett Mysteries, set on the California coast during the 1940s, which feature a misunderstood medium in love with a spy. The Drowned Woman is a recipient of the IndieBRAG Medallion. She also writes the Cat Carlisle Mysteries, set in Britain during World War II. The first book in this series, The Silent Woman, came out in April 2018 and has since become a USA TODAY bestseller. The Family Secret released to critical acclaim in March 2019. When she’s not writing, you can find Terry Lynn walking in the woods with her dogs or visiting historical cemeteries in search of story ideas. http://www.terrylynnthomas.com/
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