Oslo, Maine: A Novel

Set in a failing lumber town, this imaginative and unexpected novel opens in the point of view of a moose! But this is no fable or talking animal fantasy: the pregnant moose is understandably wary of any humans she encounters.

The humans themselves are a fascinating bunch: a musically talented boy struggling with memory problems and his battling parents, who love to hate and hate to love each other. There is also the couple “from away” who are still regarded as newcomers despite having lived in Oslo for two decades, a childlike oaf of a man, and his adoring grandmother.

Each character closely guards secrets from the others, but in a small town, secrets—like treasure—are worth pursuing. The town itself and its rural Maine setting are almost characters themselves in the adept hands of this novelist, who draws upon her own musical background to bring the story to life.