Fiction

A compelling story about the local crazy lady: the dishevelled woman whose house has fallen into disrepair, who strikes fear in local children and disgust among her neighbours. But within the crazy lady is a life derailed, unmoored. From a childhood tragically cut short to her present-day troubles, Belle’s life has been anything but ordinary. But through it all—the heartbreak, the bad choices—stands an indomitable and irrepressible spirit you’ll not soon forget.

“….a powerful work and a most impressive debut.”—Quill & Quire

A single act of desperation can echo for decades. In 1979, Otto Sinclair flees in the wake of a tragic fire, leaving his family to sort through the ashes. Twenty-eight years later, he comes back to them. Now, a wounded family struggles to answer one final question: Is it possible to forgive when it’s impossible to forget?

“…ineffable force and narrative grace…brave and resonant and, ultimately, transcendent.”—National Post
“Vanderveen has the ability to take broken characters and imbue them with hope….a strong writer and a memorable story.”—Quill & Quire
“…an intriguing, compelling story about the disintegration of a family and its struggle to heal.” —Winnipeg Free Press