A Heart of Stone

In the words of bestselling author Susan Vreeland, "Renate Dorrestein knows how to chill her readers with tragedy and then melt their hearts with forgiveness." A Heart of Stone is a spare yet richly told novel that seamlessly alternates between past and present. Sparked by faded photographs in an old family album, the novel's narrator, Ellen, pieces together the frayed memories of an idyllic childhood. She relives her growing up with her adored siblings, her parents' news-clipping service, and decades of Americana-from Coca-Cola to Kissinger and Neil Armstrong's first step on the moon. But amid the happiness lies terror and unimaginable heartbreak and a twelfth birthday that haunts her still. As Ellen tries to make sense of her adulthood, she recalls the loss, the longings, and the love-her constant companions-and struggles to dispel the ghosts of her past.

"A stunning novel about the scorching legacy of loss." (Time)

"Moving, chilling, and powerful." (Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with a Pearl Earring)