Seventeen years ago, Tilly Stone (age 13) is left to fend for herself in rural Pennsylvania when her infamous eco-terrorist father disappears under mysterious circumstances. Ever since she’s tried to forget the dams they blew up together and forge a new life until her father’s return threatens to upend her small-town world and her friendship with the dogged FBI agent still pursuing him.

Ultimately, as the past and present fuse and blow up with more than one kind of casualty, Tilly must choose between the father she loves and her home. ADVANCE REVIEWS“This hard-to-define novel tugs at the heartstrings and shocks the senses in equal measure.

Brandes writes in a gentle, descriptive style, filled with the glories of nature and the darkness of a lonely, isolated life. Tilly’s fierce intelligence and perseverance suggest shades of Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

Readers will feel deeply for her during her long, arduous emotional journey, but Brandes’ skill also makes it possible to feel empathy for Frank and his cause, even if readers deplore his actions. Ultimately, this is a novel about finding a balance between loving someone and recognizing that sometimes love can be misplaced.

A moving coming-of-age novel that blends thrills and heartfelt familial drama. ” —KIRKUS REVIEWS“Simmering with suspense and brimming with heart, this beautiful story of heartache and resilience will linger long after its final pages.

” —Kimi Cunningham Grant, USA TODAY bestselling author of These Silent Woods“Kate Brandes writes with a kindness and generosity rare in contemporary fiction. The story is well told and dramatic, but it's her careful elaboration of the people and the natural world of Stone Creek, that stay with us.

In this communion with every living thing, with the forces of creation, not destruction, Stone Creek can stand alongside the novels of Barbara Kingsolver and Wendell Berry. ” —Anna Kodama, poet and author of Lit Only By a Few Thousand Stars“Through the specific and timely lens of ecoterrorism, Kate Brandes has created a moving story of a woman who still needs her father's love, yet who fears that his infamy will threaten the secure if lonely life she's built without him on the shaky foundation of their off-the-grid, anarchist past.

From constantly building tension to exploding dams, book clubs will love discussing its many evocative layers. ” — Award-winning author Kathryn Craft (The Far End of Happy and The Art of Falling)“Kate Brandes is a remarkable author who has crafted a story that is a testament to the power of resilience and hope.

In this inspiring journey, Brandes shares a story of courage and perseverance that fills us with optimism and determination for the future. ” —Midwest Book Review.