Amy Jo Burns Knihy

Exploring the theme of silence and its consequences, this literary debut delves into the lives of characters grappling with their secrets and the burdens of unspoken truths. The narrative unfolds through compelling storytelling, revealing how the decision to remain quiet can lead to profound emotional turmoil and unexpected repercussions. The author crafts a poignant examination of the human experience, inviting readers to reflect on the impact of words left unspoken and the price of silence in personal relationships.

"An hour from the closest West Virginia mining town, fifteen-year-old Wren Bird lives in a cloistered mountain cabin with her parents. They have no car, no mailbox, and no visitors--except for her mother's lifelong best friend. Every Sunday, Wren's father delivers winding sermons in an abandoned gas station, where he takes up serpents and praises the Lord for his blighted white eye, proof of his divinity and key to the hold he has over the community, over Wren and her mother. But over the course of one summer, a miracle performed by Wren's father quickly turns to tragedy. As the order of her world begins to shatter, Wren must uncover the truth of her father's mysterious legend and her mother's harrowing history and complex bond with her best friend. And with that newfound knowledge, Wren can imagine a different future for herself than she has been told to expect."--Provided by publisher

Exploring the heavy toll of silence, this literary debut delves into the lives of characters grappling with unspoken truths and the consequences of their choices. The narrative intricately weaves themes of secrecy and the struggle for authenticity, inviting readers to reflect on the impact of silence in personal and societal contexts. Through compelling storytelling, it highlights the emotional and psychological burdens carried by those who choose to remain quiet.

A roofing family’s bonds of loyalty are tested when they uncover a long-hidden secret at the heart of their blue-collar town—from Amy Jo Burns, author of the critically acclaimed novel Shiner It’s 1990 and 17-year-old Marley West is blazing into the river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. A perpetual loner, she seeks a place at someone’s table and a family of her own. The first thing she sees when she arrives in town are three men standing on a rooftop. Their silhouettes blot out the sun. The Joseph brothers become Marley’s whole world before she can blink. Soon, she is young wife to one, The One Who Got Away to another, and adopted mother to them all. As their own mother fades away and their roofing business crumbles under the weight of their unwieldy father’s inflated ego, Marley steps in to shepherd these unruly men. Years later, an eerie discovery in the church attic causes old wounds to resurface and suddenly the family’s survival hangs in the balance. With Marley as their light, the Joseph brothers must decide whether they can save the family they’ve always known—or whether together they can build something stronger in its place.