Before and Again

In her deeply moving latest, Delinsky (The Woman Next Door) follows one woman’s journey of self-discovery as she learns to face the ghosts of her past. In a moment of distraction, Mackenzie Cooper accidentally ran a stop sign and caused the death of her five-year-old daughter, Lily, as well as the demise of her marriage. Shortly after, she moves from Massachusetts to the quaint town of Devon, Vt., where she goes by Maggie Reid, and, having abandoned her sculpting career, works at the Devon Inn and Spa as a makeup artist. She is constantly reminded of the accident by the scar on her forehead, which she carefully conceals, as well as the frequent meetings with her probation officer following her high-profile criminal conviction. Despite her probation officer’s warnings to distance herself from suspected criminals, Maggie provides emotional support for her friend Grace and Grace’s son, Chris, who is arrested for computer hacking. Maggie’s involvement thrusts her back into the media’s spotlight. Her reinvented life is further threatened when her ex-husband, Edward, moves to Devon and buys the Devon Inn. Delinsky’s novel expertly explores the depths of Maggie’s guilt and redemption, as she learns not only how to find closure from the tragedies of the past but to forge a future in which she can forgive herself. This is a rewarding, emotionally intense novel. 250,000-copy announced first printing. (June)