The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes

April 15, 2019
A lively ensemble of eccentric characters feature in best-selling British author Hogan's (The Keeper of Lost Things, 2017) compelling second novel, a powerful story about loss and healing. Masha's beloved young son drowned 12 years ago, a tragic accident that destroyed her heart. She now spends her time in an old Victorian cemetery, creating stories about the inhabitants, and at the lido, where she drowns" her grief by swimming to the deep end every morning. Another story line follows reclusive Alice, an overprotective mom who's hiding dark secrets while battling cancer. Meanwhile, Masha befriends a fellow visitor to the cemetery, a lively, batty older woman she nicknames Sally Red Shoes. She also has her faithful wolfhound, Haizum, at her side and makes another new friend, Kitty, a character so beguiling she deserves a story of her own. Both Kitty and Sally help Masha on her journey through grief and eventually into the arms of love, forgiveness, friendship, and healing. Fans of Karen White and Marian Keyes will especially enjoy Hogan's storytelling style.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)