A Year After Henry
A Novel
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- £12.99
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- £12.99
Publisher Description
"Nobody walks the knife-edge of hilarity and heartbreak more confidently than Pelletier."—Richard Russo
In her exquisite new novel, acclaimed author Cathie Pelletier presents a witty and refreshingly candid portrait of grief, intergenerational conflict, and the impact one person can have on those he loved.
Bixley, Maine. One year after Henry Munroe's fatal heart attack at age forty-one, his doting parents, prudish wife, rebellious son, and wayward brother are still reeling. So is Evie Cooper, a bartender, self-proclaimed "spiritual portraitist," and Henry's former mistress. While his widow, Jeanie, struggles with the betrayal, Henry's overbearing mother is making plans to hold a memorial service. As the date of the tribute draws closer and these worlds threaten to collide, the Munroes grapple with the frailty of their own lives and the knowledge that love is all that matters.
With her trademark wry wit and wisdom, Cathie Pelletier has crafted an elegant and surprisingly uplifiting portrait of the many strange and inspiring forms that grief can take in its journey toward healing.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Pelletier (The Weight of Winter) chronicles the effects of the charismatic Henry Munroe's death on his loved ones as they soldier on in the town of Bixley, Maine. Spoiled by his natural charm and good looks, Henry flitted through life first as a favorite son and a football hero, then as a ladies' man who took well to his mailman duties. His wife Jeanie, who collected receipts and other evidence of his latest infidelity, is devastated that she wasn't able to confront her husband prior to his death. Henry's mistress, the clairvoyant bartender Evie Cooper, begins an affair with Henry's underappreciated older brother, Larry, who has hit rock bottom, having lost his teaching job, his wife, and his son and retreated to his childhood bedroom in his parents' house where he reads other people's mail. Henry's teenaged son, Chad, has turned to drinking and hangs out at the local bar in an effort to connect with Larry. Everyone dreads the upcoming memorial service that Henry's parents have planned. Pelletier's writing bristles with sharp descriptions and her story hums along at a satisfying pace, drawing the reader in with sympathetic and utterly believable characters.
