Description:
An eighty-year-old retired history teacher. A devastated 36-year-old woman. A 12-year-old thief. Together they embark on a suburban adventure that saves one life, ends another, and transforms an entire town into a place where magic still exists.
Grieving an unimaginable loss and spiraling into a dangerous relationship, 36-year-old Clare Lyndsay returns to her childhood home of Kinderkamack, NJ with a plan to leave the world as quietly as she came. But on the night she decides will be her last, a knock at the door ends with Clare waking up to an adventure that just might save her life.
The man at the door is Clare's next-door neighbor and childhood guardian angel, Albert Henry Hallam-recently widowed and long ago retired high school history teacher. Albert has a new plan for Clare, a rescue operation that involves a bag of contrabanded birdseed, a stolen garden gnome, and a very special purple cloak...
On this same night, Albert's soon-to-be accomplice, 12-year-old Cee-Cee Lushington, is enjoying the first warm evening of the summer that will change her life forever. Officer Ben Light has just come from the hospital and is desperately searching for Clare and Ben's grade-school bully-the man who's now a meth addict with a string of violent relationships behind him. And Jared Crocker sits in his truck, rejected by Clare, shaking with rage. Watching Clare's house. A gun in his glove box and a murder charge in his future.
What starts as a playful heist escalates wildly out of control as Clare and Albert race to complete their rescue, while Jared stalks them both, and Clare's grief threatens to sabotage them all. In the end, their success comes down to one question: Can Clare let go of the one she lost, to save the ones she still can...including herself?
At its heart, The Goose Waltzer is a story about the restorative mysteries of the natural world and the healing power of community.And it's a story with a compelling reminder-there is far more that unites us in this life than divides us.
Brief description: Samantha Leigh Miller is a Social Studies teacher whose creative work has appeared in several literary magazines including Talking Writing, Indolent Books, and Raving Dove. Miller has also co-authored research in peace pedagogy for Teaching of Psychology and presented her work at conferences around the country. Along with writing, travel-on-a-budget is her passion, having already visited five continents. She is currently working on a historical fiction novel based on a real-life 1855 unsolved murder in her hometown of Pottstown, PA.To learn more about the author, along with a complete list of works referenced in The Goose Waltzer, upcoming releases, and much more, visit www.SamanthaLeighMiller.com
Review Quotes:
"A moving, richly-drawn testament to the power of human resilience against unimaginable loss. Impossible to put down, The Goose Waltzer will restore faith in humanity to even the most hard-hearted of cynics." -Reuven Fenton, author of Goyhood
"If you enjoyed the whimsy and wisdom of Fredrick Backman's A Man Called Otto and Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures, you'll love The Goose Waltzer." -OverBOOKed in Pottstown
"The Goose Waltzer is worth every moment of your reading time-full of mini-criminals, gut-wrenching moments, and all-encompassing love." -Kristan Ryan, A Woman's Write
"Complex themes, intriguing characters, and intense moments in history."-Florence Ann Romano, The Bookhive Bookclub
"Beautifully explores the complexities of loss, redemption, and the healing power of unexpected connections...Deftly weaves together adventure, suspense, and heartwarming moments in a well-paced plot that develops into an unforgettable end." -K.C. Finn, Reader's Favorite
"A hopeful story with characters to fall in love with..." -Teresa Sarsted, The Bimbos (Beautiful Intelligent Maladjusted Bookworms of Seattle)
"The Goose Waltzer is a testament to Miller's ability to craft a narrative that is both compelling and thought-provoking, making it a noteworthy addition to contemporary fiction." -Literary Titan
"The Goose Waltzer is a beautifully written and insightful view into the human mind, post-traumatic stress, and our linked humanity." -Grant Leishman, Reader's Favorite