"[An] eloquent, sorrowful novel....Readers of both Pat Conroy, on
one hand, and Carson McCullers, on the other, will relish Newton's
flawed characters and piquant portrayal of small town life."
--Booklist (starred review)
"Under the Mercy Trees will take your breath away." --Robin Antalek,
author of The Summer We Fell Apart
Heather Newton's Under the Mercy Trees tells the poignant and
unforgettable story of a man forced to face his troubled past when he
returns to his hometown in the mountains of North Carolina following the
disappearance of his brother.
Thirty years ago, Martin Owenby came to New York City with dreams of
becoming a writer. Now his existence revolves around cheap Scotch and
weekend flings with equally damaged men. When he learns that his older
brother, Leon, has gone missing, he must return to the Owenby farm in
Solace Fork, North Carolina, to assist in the search. But that means
facing a past filled with regrets, the family that never understood him,
the girl whose heart he broke, and the best friend who has faithfully
kept the home fires burning. As the mystery surrounding Leon's
disappearance deepens, so too does the weight of decades-long unresolved
differences and unspoken feelings--forcing Martin to deal with the
hardest lessons about home, duty, and love.
Under the Mercy Trees adds the name Heather Newton to a sterling list
of acclaimed authors in the Southern literary tradition that already
includes Reynolds Price, Kaye Gibbons, Jill McCorkle, Clyde Edgerton,
and Tom Franklin.
