First published 2022
Claudia has spent nearly ten years counseling patients at Mercy Street, a women's clinic in Boston. Each day brings new crises as women seek second chances through the healthcare the clinic provides. But danger lurks outside. Anonymous threats arrive regularly. A determined group of anti-abortion demonstrators gathers at the clinic doors every morning. As protests grow more intense, fear begins to consume Claudia's daily life. She manages her rising anxiety through visits to Timmy, a friendly marijuana dealer facing his own life questions. Among Timmy's varied customers, she meets Anthony, a directionless man who lives mostly online. Anthony spends his time chatting with Excelsior11, the screen name used by Victor Prine. Prine is an anti-abortion activist who has targeted Mercy Street specifically and will sacrifice everything for his cause. The novel captures the divided nature of contemporary America through these intersecting lives.
Genres: fiction, mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller, activism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, intersecting-lives
Setting: Boston, Mercy Street
Period: Contemporary
ebook · Ecco
Content warnings: anxiety, violence