The Widow's Daughter

In Edlin's fantastic debut, Peter Sokol is a WWII veteran living quietly as a painter in San Diego with his long-term girlfriend Missy, when he learns that his old army friend Anthony Sturgis has written a book about his experience in the Third Medical Battalion in New Zealand. Sturgis's book, however, focuses largely on Peter. With Missy's prodding, Peter agrees to travel to UCLA to attend Sturgis' book launch. As he drives up the coast, he recalls the events of the war. Shortly after arriving at the Victoria Park camp in Auckland where Sokol served as an orthopedic surgeon, he meets and falls in love with Emily Walters, a mysterious young Englishwoman. Unfortunately, one of Sokol's rivals from his Stanford Medical School days is also stationed at Victoria Park, and falls for Emily as well. Emily ultimately chooses Peter and they marry in secret, though their relationship becomes strained just a few weeks later, and Emily's mother tells Peter to stay away for a spell. He takes the news badly and drinks until he blacks out. The next morning, Emily's boisterous, troubled brother is found dead, and Peter is the prime suspect, due to a previous altercation with the man and no credible alibi. As he fights to prove his innocence, Peter learns the dark secrets behind Emily's strange family. This is a remarkable story of a man struggling to free his present from a troubled past. (Apr.)