Gretchen recommends "After Annie"

Anna Quindlen’s latest novel is a heartfelt and realistic depiction of the shock and devastation that comes with the sudden loss of a family member. Beloved Annie Fonzheimer Brown leaves behind a husband, four children, a sister, and her best friend. Quindlen reveals the backstory of their hometown and how people got to where they are, revealing surprises, choices, and reconnections along the way. The children in the story are especially poignant as the oldest daughter takes on the role of a grown-up, learning that some people have dark and confusing secrets of their own. Despite their feelings of profound loss, Annie’s voice is always in their heads, almost like she’s by their side, as they cope in the intervening seasons of the year following her untimely and unexpected death. You feel the struggles of each character, and meet a compassionate woman who helps them navigate through it. Wise and ultimately hopeful, this book for adults shows the power of resilience in the presence of love and friendship.