This historical fiction novel set in 1960s New England follows two families whose paths cross alongside a dirt road and are then forever entwined. Joe and his family are Mi’kmaq, they travel down from Nova Scotia every year to work the berry fields of Maine. His day begins as any other but when he fails to keep an eye on his four year old sister Ruthie, he will spend the rest of his life trying to atone for her disappearance.
Norma has grown up in a sheltered and isolated suburban home with a mother that always seems afraid to let her out of her sight. She doesn’t remember much of her early childhood, but her parent’s distress when she asks about it or mentions her imaginary friend Ruthie has taught her to keep questions to herself. As she grows up her assumption that she’s adopted, and her parents never wanted to tell her will be shaken by a more awful truth. The Berry Pickers follows the aftermath of one family’s tragedy and another’s sins as both try to move forward after the loss of a child. Peter’s weaves these two dramatically different family stories together, exploring themes of family, guilt, and identity. It was the winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and the 2024 selection for One Book One Lincoln by Lincoln City Libraries.

Peters, Amanda. The Berry Pickers: A Novel. Catapult. 2023.

This murder mystery thriller set on the campus of Cambridge University in England fits perfectly in the Dark Academia genre. Group therapist, Mariana is still reeling from a devastating personal loss while trying to put her life back together. When her niece and adopted daughter Zoe calls from university in a panic, telling Mariana that a girl’s body has been found on campus, and her fears that it is her friend Tara. Mariana will be pulled back to Cambridge where she herself is an alumni, where she met her late husband, and where they shared so many tender memories. Mariana feels compelled to try and help solve the mystery of the murder on campus and has her sights set on the enigmatic American professor, Edward Fosca, that she and Zoey believe is the culprit. Sparked by Tara’s last words to Zoe, revealing that she’s been sleeping with a professor and his threats if she doesn’t stay silent about the affair. He’s charismatic and beloved on campus with an almost cult like following by a group of students he privately tutors and who refer to themselves as “The Maidens.” No one is willing to believe Fosca could be responsible and Mariana’s credibility and emotional stability will be called into question as she attempts to prove her suspicions. Intrigue and suspense make this a great read to get lost in if you love themes of Mythology, psychology, and dark twists.

Michaelides, Alex. The Maidens: A Novel. Celadon Books. 2021.