Carry Yourself Back to Me - Softcover

Deborah Reed

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1935597671 ISBN 13: 9781935597674

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing, 2011

Synopsis

With a broken heart, a stalled career, and a troubled family, singer-songwriter Annie Walsh seeks refuge at her secluded home, surrounded by a lush Florida tangelo grove and the company of her old dog Detour. But a crime connected to her brother Calder threatens to tear her family apart, and Annie is forced to shore up her loyalties and question some profound disappointments of her past. From the ever-changing present, where each hour brings an unforeseen piece of news, to the poignant childhood days of first allegiances and life-changing losses, circumstances converge and Annie steps out to lull the listener into this soulful, stirring journey like a fine and forlorn love ballad. Carry Yourself Back to Me cultivates an often tender, sometimes tart world of love and loss. Inflected with melancholy and redeemed by melody, this deeply affecting story is certain to strike a resonant chord in the heart.

About this title

About the Author

Deborah Reed comes from a long line of storytellers and musicians and finds creative inspiration in the composition of alt-country, folk, and homespun goods. She currently resides in the Pacific Northwest, where she also writes suspense fiction under the name of Audrey Braun.

Reviews

"In her first literary novel, Reed (who writes suspense fiction under the penname Audrey Braun) triumphs with this thoughtful, graceful story of singer/songwriter Annie Walsh. Annie has recently been abandoned by Owen, her cherished lover, and taken refuge at her home in Florida. In addition to heartbreak, Annie must also contend with the troubles of her brother, Calder, who has been accused of a crime of passion. There is a lovely passage on snow, new to Annie, as well as moving account of her first attempt to sing since her world crashed. In a small bar on the eve of Christmas Eve, "she sings about the evening sky going dark, and the sound of her voice is warm and thick and bigger than the room. She sings about a tingle in her bones." The novel's tragedies are deftly drawn, and never maudlin. Readers will enjoy the novel's engaging characters, intricate plot, and beautifully rendered sense of place." --Publishers Weekly

"The lovely, lyrical prose of Reed's novel is as rare as snowfall in Florida. And when snow, indeed, does fall in the rural Florida community depicted in the narrative, this melancholy mystery, featuring a cast of very appealing characters, evolves into an introspective study on the power of memory. Reclusive alt-country singer-musician Annie Walsh lives nearly nestled in the tangelo groves on her land in a secluded country area. Suffering from a broken heart, her once promising career now at a standstill, Annie spends her lonely days with only Detour, her dog. But just as her estranged brother, Calder, resurfaces and the two begin to make amends, Calder is arrested for murder. This crime and the inevitable family secrets revealed make for a compelling, poignant, and tender tale about love and loyalty that is a pleasure to read. Verdict: Reed, who also writes suspense fiction as Audrey Braun (A Small Fortune), is a writer to watch." --Library Journal


"Part whodunit, part romance, part family drama, and part childhood remembrance, Reed's debut is a dense, psychologically complex meditation upon the flawed yet resilient nature of family and love that is simultaneously meditative and fast paced. --Booklist

Edition details

• Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1935597671
• ISBN 13: 9781935597674
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 316