Searching for Maya: a novel

A young girl is raped by her priest and gives birth to a daughter, Maya, whom she puts up for adoption to get a chance at a better life. But Maya's mother cannot heal the baby hole in her heart. When she finally escapes an abusive relationship after 20 years, she searches for Maya. Both mother and daughter, unknown to each other, find themselves in the Maya country of Mexico, and are followed by a stalker. Will they ever reconnect?

Searching for Maya is the story of Mary Jane (MJ), a vulnerable 16-year-old, who is raped and impregnated by her parish priest. She is abandoned by her mother and forced to bear her unwanted daughter who is given up for adoption. Rescued and protected by a controlling abuser for many years, MJ finally develops the courage to escape and search for her daughter, Maya, who MJ believes is living in the Yucatan Peninsula, the central location of the Maya culture. Heather Rath, an award-winning author of short stories and travel writing develops in Searching for Maya, an exciting, suspenseful detective story. Sex, passion and desire co-exist with disgust, fear and hate. Searching for Maya is a page turner that shines with strong dialogue, interaction and scene description and is a pleasure to read.
- Jeanne Ainslie, author, A Country Girl, Caribbean Moon and Stranger at Herring Cove.

Rath captivates the reader with quick, clever and cunning suspense, clever plot twists, and delicious irony. A master of the craft.
- Marcus Starr – author, Nora's Curse and Monsters in the Moonlight. Two-time Odd And Cryptic Cup winner.

MJ escapes a controlling abuser and embarks on a search for Maya, the daughter she gave up for adoption after being raped in her teens. Her search is filled with danger as her abuser hunts after her with murder on his mind – Rath has created a suspenseful, gripping thriller that delves deeply into the hunted-haunted psyche.
- Michael B. Davie, author, The Late Man

About the Author:

Heather Rath is the award-winning author of Stalker, a collection of critically acclaimed and thought-provoking short stories.
Searching for Maya is Rath’s much anticipated first novel - and it too has the literary world taking note of this gifted writer with a knack for blending all too human stories with a thriller’s intrigue and hidden dangers.
Ever since she won a city-wide writing contest for elementary students in Ottawa, Canada, Rath knew writing would be a major part of her life. When she grew up, she was sequentially a reporter, editor of a weekly newspaper and a monthly business magazine before becoming head of communications for a multi-national company. During this time, she edited, and contributed to, two anthologies of southwestern Ontario writers.
The award-winning writer has been published widely over the years in various publications and some of her work for children has been translated into Braille.
She is a member of CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators & Performers), Canadian Authors Association and an associate member of Crime Writers of Canada.
Family, writing, and travel are her passions. She invites you to visit her website www.heatherrath.net

About the Author: Heather Rath is the award-winning author of Stalker, a collection of critically acclaimed and thought-provoking short stories.Searching for Maya is Rath's much anticipated first novel - and it too has the literary world taking note of this gifted writer with a knack for blending all too human stories with a thriller's intrigue and hidden dangers.Ever since she won a city-wide writing contest for elementary students in Ottawa, Canada, Rath knew writing would be a major part of her life. When she grew up, she was sequentially a reporter, editor of a weekly newspaper and a monthly business magazine before becoming head of communications for a multi-national company. During this time, she edited, and contributed to, two anthologies of southwestern Ontario writers. The award-winning writer has been published widely over the years in various publications and some of her work for children has been translated into Braille. She is a member of CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators & Performers), Canadian Authors Association and an associate member of Crime Writers of Canada. Family, writing, and travel are her passions. She invites you to visit her website www.heatherrath.net