In this “compelling, bighearted, emotionally precise page-turner” (Sunday Times), the New York Times bestselling writer and acclaimed television host explores the aftermath of a tragedy on a small-town to illuminate the shame and longing that can flow through generations—and how the secrets of the heart cannot stay be buried forever. It is 1987 and a small Irish community is preparing for a wedding. The day before the ceremony, a group of young friends, including the bride and groom, are involved in an accident. Three survive. Three are killed. The lives of the families are shattered and the rifts between them ripple throughout the small town. Connor survived, but living among the angry and the mourning is almost as hard as carrying the shame of having been the driver. He leaves the only place he knows for another life, taking his secrets with him. Travelling first to Liverpool, then London, he eventually makes a home—of sorts—for himself in New York, where he finds shelter and the possibility of forging a new life. But the secrets—the unspoken longings and regrets that have come to haunt those left behind—will not be silenced. Before long, Connor will have to confront his past. A powerful and timely novel of emigration and return, Home Stretch demonstrates Norton’s keen understanding of the power of stigma and secrecy—and their devastating effect on ordinary lives.

Mary Sue Dehmlow Dreier believes that our contemporary world desperately needs to hear the central message of the final chapters of Matthew's gospel. In this wonderful sermon series based on Cycle A lectionary gospel texts, Dreier deftly uses clear examples to shed light on the biblical text. Her focus is on Jesus' call to serve while at the same time keeping our vision on the promised fulfillment. Like Matthew's community, today's church also needs an active faith that is rooted not only in the here and now, but also the parousia. Readers will discover that Dreier's insight into these readings makes the scriptures understandable and relevant to modern Christians -- she has a flair for communicating the gospel to the everyday person in the pew. Pastor Mary Sue Dreier is a preacher who preaches up on her toes, not from her heels. She hits the biblical texts straight on, and it results in a hands-on experience with God. She preaches to all, and her words confront and inspire. Her parishioners know from her preaching what they are called to do. You will be convicted of your failures in your life of discipleship, but her declaration of God's grace enables her hearers to act in this world as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It has been a joy for me to follow Pastor Dreier's growth as a pastor and proclaimer of the gospel. She is a committed disciple of Jesus Christ and a gifted proclaimer of God's word. Glenn W. Nycklemoe Bishop, Southeastern Minnesota Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Pastor Mary Sue Dreier has a wonderful talent for taking a Bible passage we've all heard a hundred times and making it come alive through detailed personal stories. Her sermons help me understand what the Gospel means to me today and what I can do about it -- how God is calling me to a life of Christian servanthood. Kathleen Creager Rochester, Minnesota Along with her husband Gary, Mary Sue Dehmlow Dreier is the co-pastor and mission developer of People of Hope, A Lutheran Church in Mission (ELCA) in Rochester, Minnesota. Active in their synod, the Dreiers have also served two other Minnesota congregations. Mary Sue is a graduate of Valparaiso University (B.A.) and Luther Seminary (M.Div.).

In Beyond the Homestretch, Lynn Reardon shares an unlikely story. In 2002, she quit her Washington, DC–area office job and moved to rural Texas to open the racehorse adoption ranch LOPE. Since then, LOPE has helped transition more than 750 thoroughbreds into new homes. Though now the director of this high-profile organization, Reardon didn’t learn to ride until she was an adult. Here she presents a vivid inside look into the world of horse racing, complete with colorful horses, jockeys, trainers, and gallop girls, beautifully depicting the insights horses can offer when we reevaluate our relationship with them.

Consider this book. Beyond these pages is my collection of stories centered on mental health and multigenerational relationships. This is my first book since the one I finished in high school, Mr. Rot’s Garden (2018). It may seem curious there’s just nine short stories I’ve tucked in here, but I am quite proud of all of them and feel they well represent my strengths as a writer. The first I’d like to mention is “An Assessment In Frailty” which picks up right at the end of a home tour. Eighty-four year-old Franklin Sprawl is put down by homeowner Robert Lash who claims the senior hasn’t made any meaningful contribution to society during his lifetime of work. This spark’s Sprawl’s relentless need to prove lash wrong by making an art piece that says more about Lash’s flaws than anything else. The second, “Surface Street Shades,” follows Elderly widow, Geraldine Fade, who drives in a weathered truck with a distinctive gash on its tailgate. The old woman is aghast when a white SUV is stalking her, though she manages to lose them momentarily and sets upon inviting her handyman over to do work and quell her stress, she learns the hard way about the many faces of appreciation. Thirdly, my title story, "Threat Along The Homestretch" concerns an anxious young adult, with unbidden urges, who just wants to get home. But when road work redirects him away from the shorter path to his house, he must enter a senior center where he thinks he is increasingly susceptible to striking out. “The Welcoming Bench,” shows a young teen boy’s perspective change thanks to a story an old Quaker gives him about her dear deceased friend Nanette Looking. It’s a cozy premise with memorable characters which tackles greater themes of religion and universal needs for companionship.

Grace Street is Jeff Blakes home, just as Grace Street is home for all of us. His gift is to remind each of us of that. His words are filled with wisdom with which we can resonateits deeply human. He offers the insights that have arisen in a life lived fully and mindfully and gratefully. In this new book, Jeff inspires, encourages, and welcomes us all back to Grace Streetthe neighborhood we all share. Kathleen Dowling Singh, author of The Grace in Aging, The Grace in Dying, and The Grace in Living

Neumann gives readers 12 ways to prepare their kids for life on their own.