"'The Qualities of Wood' follows the mesmerizing journey of one woman as she discovers the truths around and within her. It is a novel written with poetic grace and gentle hand, with a message as strong as wood." —Genevieve Graham, author of "Under the Same Sky"

The house brought them together, but secrets will tear them apart.

 
When Vivian and her husband Nowell are enlisted to prepare his late grandmother's country home for sale, they decide to take a break from city life. Nowell leaves before his wife to begin work on his second mystery novel and by the time Vivian joins him, a real mystery has begun.

A local girl has died in the woods behind the house. The tall line of trees separating the old white house from the thickets and wildlife beyond attracts Vivian, seems to beckon her within. Details begin to emerge about the victim and Vivian becomes enmeshed in the secrets of the girl's life and final moments.

Nowell's temperamental brother arrives with his new wife and the house gets crowded. A woman who befriends Vivian relays local gossip, including the questionable legacy of the town's founder, while a neighbor, a striking man with a buried past of his own, keeps appearing at strange moments. Meanwhile, Vivian's marriage is unraveling as Nowell loses himself in his work and Vivian seeks purpose and ultimately, truth.

Read an excerpt HERE.   Or listen to the author reading a bit of the book HERE.