A Town Called Solace

By Mary Lawson | Publisher: Knopf Canada

About the book

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GLOBE AND MAIL, CBC BOOKS AND THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
 
\"I've been telling everyone I know about Mary Lawson . . . Each of her novels is just a marvel\" —Anne Tyler

New York Times bestselling author Mary Lawson, acclaimed for digging into the \"wilderness of the human heart\", is back after almost a decade with a fresh and timely novel that is different in subject but just as emotional and atmospheric as her beloved earlier work.


A Town Called Solace, the brilliant and emotionally radiant new novel from Mary Lawson, her first in nearly a decade, opens on a family in crisis. Sixteen-year-old Rose is missing. Angry and rebellious, she had a row with her mother, stormed out of the house and simply disappeared. Left behind is seven-year-old Clara, Rose’s adoring little sister. Isolated by her parents’ efforts to protect her from the truth, Clara is bewildered and distraught. Her sole comfort is Moses, the cat next door, whom she is looking after for his elderly owner, Mrs. Orchard, who went into hospital weeks ago and has still not returned.
 
Enter Liam Kane, mid-thirties, newly divorced, newly unemployed, newly arrived in this small northern town, who moves into Mrs. Orchard’s house—where, in Clara’s view, he emphatically does not belong. Within a matter of hours he receives a visit from the police. It seems he is suspected of a crime.
 
At the end of her life, Elizabeth Orchard is also thinking about a crime, one committed thirty years previously that had tragic consequences for two families, and in particular for one small child. She desperately wants to make amends before she dies.
 
Told through three distinct, compelling points of view, the novel cuts back and forth among these unforgettable characters to uncover the layers of grief, remorse, and love that connect them. A Town Called Solace is a masterful, suspenseful, darkly funny and deeply humane novel by one of our great storytellers.

Editions of A Town Called Solace

Paperback
ISBN 9780735281295
AltFormat
ISBN 9780735281271
EBook
ISBN 9780735281288
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9781039001121
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9781039001138

Read an Excerpt

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GLOBE AND MAIL, CBC BOOKS AND THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
 
\"I've been telling everyone I know about Mary Lawson . . . Each of her novels is just a marvel\" —Anne Tyler

New York Times bestselling author Mary Lawson, acclaimed for digging into the \"wilderness of the human heart\", is back after almost a decade with a fresh and timely novel that is different in subject but just as emotional and atmospheric as her beloved earlier work.


A Town Called Solace, the brilliant and emotionally radiant new novel from Mary Lawson, her first in nearly a decade, opens on a family in crisis. Sixteen-year-old Rose is missing. Angry and rebellious, she had a row with her mother, stormed out of the house and simply disappeared. Left behind is seven-year-old Clara, Rose’s adoring little sister. Isolated by her parents’ efforts to protect her from the truth, Clara is bewildered and distraught. Her sole comfort is Moses, the cat next door, whom she is looking after for his elderly owner, Mrs. Orchard, who went into hospital weeks ago and has still not returned.
 
Enter Liam Kane, mid-thirties, newly divorced, newly unemployed, newly arrived in this small northern town, who moves into Mrs. Orchard’s house—where, in Clara’s view, he emphatically does not belong. Within a matter of hours he receives a visit from the police. It seems he is suspected of a crime.
 
At the end of her life, Elizabeth Orchard is also thinking about a crime, one committed thirty years previously that had tragic consequences for two families, and in particular for one small child. She desperately wants to make amends before she dies.
 
Told through three distinct, compelling points of view, the novel cuts back and forth among these unforgettable characters to uncover the layers of grief, remorse, and love that connect them. A Town Called Solace is a masterful, suspenseful, darkly funny and deeply humane novel by one of our great storytellers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is A Town Called Solace about?

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GLOBE AND MAIL, CBC BOOKS AND THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
 
\"I've been telling everyone I know about Mary Lawson . . . Each of her novels is just a marvel\" —Anne Tyler

New York Times bestselling author Mary Lawson, acclaimed for digging into the \"wilderness of the human heart\", is back after almost a decade with a fresh and timely novel that is different in subject but just as emotional and atmospheric as her beloved earlier work.


A Town Called Solace, the brilliant and emotionally radiant new novel from Mary Lawson, her first in nearly a decade, opens on a family in crisis. Sixteen-year-old Rose is missing. Angry and rebellious, she had a row with her mother, stormed out of the house and simply disappeared. Left behind is seven-year-old Clara, Rose’s adoring little sister. Isolated by her parents’ efforts to protect her from the truth, Clara is bewildered and distraught. Her sole comfort is Moses, the cat next door, whom she is looking after for his elderly owner, Mrs. Orchard, who went into hospital weeks ago and has still not returned.
 
Enter Liam Kane, mid-thirties, newly divorced, newly unemployed, newly arrived in this small northern town, who moves into Mrs. Orchard’s house—where, in Clara’s view, he emphatically does not belong. Within a matter of hours he receives a visit from the police. It seems he is suspected of a crime.
 
At the end of her life, Elizabeth Orchard is also thinking about a crime, one committed thirty years previously that had tragic consequences for two families, and in particular for one small child. She desperately wants to make amends before she dies.
 
Told through three distinct, compelling points of view, the novel cuts back and forth among these unforgettable characters to uncover the layers of grief, remorse, and love that connect them. A Town Called Solace is a masterful, suspenseful, darkly funny and deeply humane novel by one of our great storytellers.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in A Town Called Solace?

Fiction > Fiction: literary and general non-genre

Where can I read a sample of A Town Called Solace?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780735281295

Who is/are the Author/s of the book A Town Called Solace?

Mary Lawson

Who is the Publisher of the book A Town Called Solace?

Knopf Canada

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

A Town Called Solace is available as paperback(ISBN 9780735281295) and altformat(ISBN 9780735281271) and ebook(ISBN 9780735281288) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781039001121) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781039001138)

Where can I buy A Town Called Solace online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy A Town Called Solace?