It Happened at Whisper Lake
★★★★ 4.27 average · GoodreadsA contemporary story of betrayal, trust, and the many facets of love that emerge when a family is forced through profound change — set in the natural world of rural Northern Wisconsin.
About the book
When Luella Laurent's husband — a celebrated college coach — is arrested for molesting boys at their lakefront basketball camp, her world collapses. Ostracized by her community, harassed at the teaching job she loves, mistrusted by her own daughter, and distanced from her grandson, she finds herself suddenly the sole caregiver of her husband's intellectually disabled sister.
With almost no one left to confide in but her steady hairstylist, Trudy, Luella must navigate the aftermath of a crime she did not commit but cannot escape. Using the natural world of rural Northern Wisconsin and a counselor's eye for the human interior, Ceone Fenn weaves an intricate, compassionate story about grief, friendship, perspective, and the quiet work of reclaiming a life worth living.
Reading-Group Guide
Discussion questions on betrayal, the other victims of a crime, loyalty, and the families we hold together — written for the themes her counseling years made her fluent in. Read on the page or print for your meeting.
“Superbly written and spellbinding… Ceone Fenn has created a memorable character, showing us how to reclaim a life worth living.” Christine DeSmet · award-winning author & UW–Madison writing faculty