SMOKE RIVER

In the tradition of Louise Erdrich and Joseph Boyden. Epic in scope and tragic in vision, this ambitious novel follows two families on different sides of a crisis with deep roots in history and territory through one fateful summer.

After a proposed subdivision becomes the site of a Mohawk protest—the land, which has long formed a kind of neutral border between a reserve and the neighbouring town, is contested—tensions escalate through three sweltering summer months, exposing old wounds, as well as forging new and sometimes surprising connections. This compelling contemporary story is told in the voices of several vivid, unforgettable characters, from the restless young Mohawk woman dreaming of adventure and fame in the wider world; to the successful businessman who has made good use of his position between two communities, and who harbours a surprisingly tender secret; to the high school hero whose inner life would shock his admirers, especially his ambitious mother; and to the unexpected lovers, who must weigh happiness against history and fierce pride. When the young, ambitious Mohawk woman is the victim of a violent assault, events collide with unexpected destruction leaving the town's people with a pivotal choice- to fight to remember or choose to forget. KRISTA FOSS is a former journalist whose short fiction has twice been a finalist for the Journey Prize and long-listed for CBC's Canada Writes contest as well as published in several literary journals. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. Smoke River is her first novel.