This story is brought so lovingly into life that I could see and feel the essence of these characters as if they breathed beside me in this beautiful memoir.  I was right there with the sisters as they feared the mystery unfolding in their home.

   —Elizabeth Clark-Stern, Author of Soul Stories

A father’s act of kindness invites an unexpected and possibly dangerous visitor into the tranquil small town life of a family in Elgin, Illinois in the late 1950’s. Seen through the eyes of the youngest daughter, this is a story of mystery, intrigue and tenderness.

It all begins with a request in the newspaper: Become a pen pal with a convicted man and bring a bit of the outside into his life. Found guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison, this stranger finds his way into the very heart of a family, putting his guilt and much more in question.

Told with warmth, humor and suspense, this is a touching true story of loyalties put to the test.

A heroine's journey....sweet, intimate, rebellious , loving memoir of a young girl navigating her way thru life and family. The author's honest, straight forward recounting of her childhood years like a Joan of Arc in the small town of Elgin, Illinois. I laughed, felt touched and could deeply relate to that point in our lives where, as the author states, "That's how I remember it, and there is no one left alive who can remember it with me." Now she has a village to remember with her.  --Susan Edlinger