Deborah Deneaux is dying...
…but hospice volunteer Pauline Swanson won’t let DeeDee’s story die with her.
What drove DeeDee from her beloved 1960’s New Orleans Creole neighborhood to begin anew in turbulent 1970s San Francisco? What became of her brother after he joined the Black Panthers? How did she end up a single mother in Chicago and retire as a successful business owner?
And most of all—why is her relationship with her son, Raymond, so painfully broken?
As Pauline pieces together DeeDee’s remarkable life, she’s forced to confront her own. A recovering alcoholic haunted by childhood trauma, Pauline finds strength in DeeDee’s resilience—strength she’ll need when her own past resurfaces and she’s forced to face what has haunted her dreams.
“Peters’ writing features … lovely passages … The characters are well-rounded and distinct …The novel handles weighty themes frankly and with nuance … A moving story of friendship, family, and recovery.”
- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“…a journey defined by elegance and raw emotion … The author’s attention to cultural detail … is a valuable aspect of this novel … I joined Pauline and DeeDee, admiring this powerful expression of feminine resilience. … subtle delights embedded in a well-told story …”
- Janice P. Kehler, Wisconsin Writers Association
