The House on Harrigan's Hill

The House on Harrigan’s Hill presents a memoir of an unfortunate childhood and the resilience of an indomitable woman, Mary Edwards. Based on true events in the lives of the Edwards family, this touching novel captures the power of the human spirit to withstand the heartbreak of poverty. 


Set in the Sierra Nevada railroad outpost of Truckee, California, this story follows the  Edwards family, as they struggle to survive in this harsh environment during the turbulent twentieth century. Through Noonan’s  heartfelt retelling of the events in the lives of the Edwards family, the reader experiences the family’s aching sadness and stubborn determination to triumph over sickness and hunger. 


The novel offers insights into human conflicts and family endurance. The lives of Mary Edwards, her family, and the townspeople capture the social transformation of  this unforgettable century of prohibition, the woman’s suffrage movement, two world wars, and the transition to modern-day life.


The House on Harrigan’s Hill is a poignant tale of the impoverished lives of the five children, the alcoholism and infidelity of their charismatic father, and the sustaining commitment of their independent mother. Their grim existence leads to resentment, remorse, and ultimately, forgiveness..