Brenda Corrigan Went Downtown

A tragic event brings a family together. After traveling the globe as a researcher for a Washington think tank, Brenda Corrigan moves to a quiet California town and creates a new life. But all that changes in a moment, when she is brutally attacked while walking on a lonely trail. As family and friends rally to help her achieve physical and emotional recovery, we come to know them well. They are an endearing odd lot, her grown children still awash in sibling rivalry, her best friends at sea when faced with Brenda’s perilous journey, despite their own formidable histories. In this vividly imagined tale, relationships change, children at last become adults, forgiveness heals old wounds. And a woman with a fascinating past determines that she will live well—with good health and the ability to enjoy her days—or yield to the inevitable, leading readers to question how they would choose in the face of utter calamity. This portrait of remarkable women shaped by the 20th century upheavals that turned the American dream inside out is thrilling readers with its wit, depth, wisdom and old-fashioned tale-spinning. Often compared to work by authors as diverse as Anne Tyler and Virginia Woolf, “Brenda Corrigan Went Downtown” is a joy to read, poignant, lyrical and darkly humorous. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you won’t be able to put down this great read until you’ve reached its haunting climax. “In her debut novel, Kaulkin tells a taut story . . . neatly reveals the complex, surprising layers in her characters.” A “story of intrigue, pain and strength.” — Kirkus Reviews Learn more at BrendaCorriganWentDowntown.com