The Berry Pickers

In the summer of 1962, a Mi'kmaq family arrives in Maine to pick blueberries, a tradition followed by Indigenous workers from Nova Scotia. Their youngest child, four-year-old Ruthie, vanishes from the edge of a berry field, a disappearance witnessed only by her six-year-old brother, Joe. This event casts a long shadow, leaving survivors haunted and a family unraveling over nearly fifty years.

Meanwhile, in Maine, Norma grows up in an affluent but emotionally distant household. Troubled by vivid dreams that feel like memories, she senses a hidden family secret. Driven by intuition, Norma dedicates decades to uncovering the truth behind her parents' silence.

This novel, a National Bestseller and winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, is a stunning debut exploring themes of love, race, brutality, and forgiveness. It is an unforgettable exploration of grief, love, and kin, weaving a riveting narrative about the search for truth, the enduring shadow of trauma, and the persistence of love across time. This work of Historical Fiction and Literary Fiction offers a profound look at resilience and the complexities of family.