Mariuccia Umbellino is a young woman living in the remote mountain village of Montemonaco, Italy, in the early years of the 19th century. Nearby, the secret recesses of the Grotto of the Fates-home to an ancient oracle of Apollo-are about to be invaded and destroyed, on orders from the Pope. But the men sent to do the dirty work don't know who (or what) they're dealing with. This oracle and this girl won't be messed with. In the dark of night, Mariuccia and her mother set out to...
An unexpected conflict forces Verna to re-examine her life. What was it Donald used to say? «When it comes to children, you pay now or pay later. You never don’t pay.» Middle-aged Verna Macoun Woodcock returns to the family cottage for the first time in 38 years to scatter the ashes of her husband, father, and twin sister. At first she is alone except for her dad’s dog, the lake, bitter memories, and a barely hidden drinking problem. But soon Verna is forced to open up her tightly shut world...
