Owl in the Oak Tree
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Product Details
Publisher: GG Publishing
Release Date: February 23, 2023
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook
ISBN: HC: 979-8-9867343-1-6; PB: 979-8-9867343-0-9; EB: 979-8-9867343-2-3
Trim: 5.5 x 8.5
Page Count: 324
A Novel
Penny Walker Veraar
2023 National Indie Excellence Award (NIEA): Winner for New Fiction 2023, Finalist for Contemporary Fiction 2023
Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist
She’s the key witness to a drive-by shooting. But what happens when her duty to justice threatens the most important thing in her world—her family?
Reagan Ramsey—mother and middle school teacher extraordinaire—knows how to hold it together in the face of adversity. In the aftermath of her husband’s death from cancer, Reagan is doing everything she can to help her two children process their father’s passing while trying to sort out what a new normal looks like for their family. The loss proves especially difficult for her seven-year-old daughter, Lizzie, who has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism and is nonverbal. Lizzie’s father had been her protector, a hands-on parent since the day she was born, and in his absence, her behavior becomes increasingly challenging as she struggles to express her feelings of loss and confusion.
But when a random encounter puts Reagan in the cross fire of a drive-by shooting—an event that shakes the foundation of her community—she suddenly becomes an involuntary key witness to a murder that turns her world, and her sense of safety, upside down. Trapped between protecting her family and helping to bring the killer to justice, Reagan’s sense of right and wrong is tested like never before.
As fear and shame threaten to break Reagan, she must learn to rely on her own conscience and her community for the strength to put her life on the line for those she loves. A piercing examination of how grief and gun violence reshape families and communities, Owl in the Oak Tree is a story of love and redemption.
About the Author
Penny Walker Veraar is retired from decades of work in the nonprofit addiction treatment field. She now spends time as a caregiver for her granddaughter, who has special needs. In addition to writing a story people will enjoy reading, her goal for Owl in the Oak Tree is to increase awareness by providing a glimpse into the life of a family who shares her experience. She lives in the Cincinnati area with her husband.
Visit the author’s website at pennywalkerveraar.com
Reviews
“Penny Walker Veraar’s novel aims to shed light on how specific societal ills (namely, drugs and violence) impact families. Throughout her tale, readers see how these problems bleed into families until many members of a community are connected through trauma. The author deftly shows how such issues are compounded by the stressors of everyday life . . . engrossing and accessible. An engaging and timely family tale.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Readers who look for development and action that begin with the microcosm of ordinary life and then move into extraordinary circumstances that challenge that world will find much to appreciate about the tension development in Owl in the Oak Tree . . . [and] much more going on than the designation of ‘thriller’ indicates.” —Midwest Book Review
“A powerful, contemporary, and relatable story . . . Readers who relish following a woman’s journey [of] overcoming multiple obstacles and arriving at a more fulfilled self will appreciate this well-written work long after finishing the last page.”
—Merida Johns, author of Blackhorse Road and Flower Girl
“Owl in the Oak Tree, the debut novel by Penny Walker Veraar, is a well-written, fast-paced tale for lovers of women’s fiction. Themes of love, loss, and commitment take center stage in this riveting story that explores marriage, death, drug abuse, and the challenges of raising a special needs child. The author’s three-dimensional characters are vivid and relatable. Her genuine love of the Cincinnati area shines through. This book is a two thumbs-up for readers who like a side of mystery and intrigue baked into heartfelt stories of home, family, and community. Well done! Looking forward to reading more of your work.” —H. R. Boldwood, author of the Corpse Whisperer series
“In her beautifully written novel, Owl in the Oak Tree, Penny Walker Veraar weaves a tale of struggle, heartbreak, mystery, and ultimate triumph that will pull at your heartstrings and remain in your memory long after you’ve turned the last page. Lizzie, an adorable special needs child; her brother, Matthew; and [their] mother, Reagan, are struggling to adjust to life after the death of their beloved father and husband. Their story, told with poignancy and realism, is set against a backdrop of drugs, murder, and a community fighting to survive in today’s world. Owl in the Oak Tree is a treasure not to be missed.” —Lou Fletcher, author of the Murder Is My Game series