Alone On The Trail by Emily Hepditch

 

Two guys.  Two girls.  Four separate lives alone together on one mountainous backcountry trail.  Brought together during their university studies, Sadie, Morgan, Jonah and Julie thought a four day wilderness trek through the boreal forest of the Long Range Mountains seemed like a great way to celebrate graduating from university.  Little did they know that their survival would not only depend on the expensive gear they carried in their backpacks but the complex relationships that had formed between them.  As they trudge deeper and deeper into the backcountry, exhaustion sets in and the bond once shared by these carefree overconfident grads begins to show signs of breaking down.  Can this foursome rise above their growing mistrust; the newly discovered lies and deceit?  Faced with injury and in imminent danger of losing their lives, solidarity is key to survival but succumbing to the dangers of the trail is more likely especially after the discovery of a lone shack and some illegal activity.  Alone On The Trail is an adventurous drama that will make you second guess your friendships, think twice about venturing into the Newfoundland wilderness, and leave you on the edge of your seat. 

Alone On The Trail is the second novel of award-winning author Emily Hepditch.  With the release of her debut, chart topping thriller, The Woman In The Attic, just one year ago, fans and new readers will be delighted to know that Hepditch has once again penned a phenomenal story!  Characteristic of her first novel, the writing is rich and the eloquent phrasing helps to propel the story forward. Readers will appreciate the strong language and word choice used in each and every sentence, creating vivid images and a more powerful poetic narrative.  

We fall into sleep without much fight, each of us slipping into sweet slumber.  The forest isn't quite as eerie with the friendly glow of the moon hanging in the sky like a lamp overhead.  The shapes of everything near burn into my mind so as not to confuse me later, in case I open my eyes too quickly and catch a glimpse of a leaning tree that looks too human in the dark.  I doze fitfully, but each little sliver of sleep is indulgent and deep.

Organized into 13 parts as opposed to traditional chapters, Hepditch utilizes her creative license to cleverly detail a tightly woven tale in the form of a series of first person character monologues.  This organizational technique is central to the development of the four characters, allowing readers an opportunity to really get to know the internal conflict that each character brings to the developing storyline.  Struggles with acceptance, dealing with loss and abandonment, and narcissistic jealousy and gaslighting are revealed bit by bit over the course of the story, revealing just enough for the reader to gain an accurate understanding of the growing tension experienced by the four friends as they attempt to survive while on their "trip of a lifetime".   By divulging the frailties of each of the characters in such a way,  readers will discover that they themselves experience responses ranging from happiness, to disappointment, excitement and anger.  The struggles are real and relatable and the experience of riding that rollercoaster of emotion is palpable. 

My ankles tire from the bumpy earth, my toes tingling in the tips of my boots.  I stare at the back of his head; he moves confidently through the trees, undaunted by the heat or the rough grounds as we move.  As ever, he is motivated by his own confidence.  At one time I found his constant self-assurance attractive - I was even compelled by it.  But now it worries me.  Heedless arrogance is a one-way ticket into trouble.  As ever, the little defence attorney that lives in my head chimes up.  He hasn't been wrong so far, so why are you judging?

Alone On The Trail by Emily Hepditch is a must read!!  This riveting account has great cinematic appeal and one that I would sure love to see in living color!  Alone On The Trail is a Flanker Press publication.

The Promise ~A Novel~ By Ida Linehan Young

Outport life in late nineteenth century Newfoundland was difficult; poverty was rampant and many children, after losing their parents to the sea or to disease, found themselves left orphaned. Such was the case of Erith Lock who, at a young age, was left to be raised by a cruel and heartless woman who stepped up to care for her after losing her mother in childbirth and her father shortly thereafter. Erith was somewhat relieved to escape her loveless life when her stepmother had made arrangements for her to be sent from her home to travel to nearby Dog Cove to work as a housekeeper for her step uncle. Instead of being released from the clutches of her cold uncaring stepmother to start a new life Erith, at the tender age of sixteen, found herself fighting for survival after enduring an horrific act committed by the two men responsible for her safe passage. Scarred and broken, Erith returned to her home in North Harbour  and was forced to suffer even greater scorn. Little did she know that this life altering event would set her on a new path of purpose and love; a path full of promises. 

The Promise ~ A Novel~ is the second piece of historical fiction written by Ida Linehan Young. Written on the heels of Being Mary Ro (2018) and her earlier memoir No Turning Back: Surviving The Linehan Family Tragedy (2014) Linehan Young continues to delight her readers by taking them back to a time when Newfoundland was a self-governing colony of the British Empire, inhabited by those who risked life and limb to make a living from the cod fishery. For readers who have previously read Being Mary Ro, this novel is somewhat of a sequel, though not a requirement for enjoying The Promise. Characters from the first novel, Mary and Dr. Peter Nolan as well as Danol Cooper, play prominently in developing the plot of this narrative and contribute greatly to the development of Erith Lock. Linehan Young does a superb job at creating a strong noble female protagonist committed to making the world a better place than what was provided to her as a child. Though she is independent in thought and spirit her unfortunate past weighs heavily upon her. Several times throughout the novel Linehan Young allows the reader to experience the turmoil faced by Erith. In one chapter she eloquently writes;

"....Erith had been in a state of oblivion. She hadn't seen or spoken to anyone in weeks. She was adrift on an ocean, but it refused to take her. Instead, it taunted her. Wave after wave overtook her, stopped her breath, and salted her wounds, keeping them fresh, open and sore. There was no mercy. The vast sea of anguish wouldn't claim her, and there was no shore in sight."

Though the central idea of survival is quite evident throughout readers will be happy to know that hope is ever present; hope in the statement whispered to Erith by her step mother on her deathbed; hope that Danol will deliver on the promise of finding Erith's lost child; hope in Erith's vow to adopt three small children orphaned by their parents, and; hope that Erith will finally have a future complete with a loving husband and family of her own. The story and central idea are propelled forward through Linehan Young's skilled ability to move between the past and the present throughout the entire 281 pages. The flashbacks reveal plot details about events and characters and sets the reader up for a story that they will not want to put down. Just when all seems to be well in Erith's life and the reader feels optimistic that this story will end happily for everyone involved the author provides us with a glimpse into the future... a future where Erith's "past hadn't quieted, nor her future taken shape".  Though the ending of the book is a complete surprise, readers can be relieved that Linehan Young has a third book, The Liars, that will hopefully answer the questions we are left with. 

Ida Linehan Young's love for history and storytelling is quite evident in this powerful tale of self-preservation and hope. She skillfully delivers a top notch story with just the right amount of drama, mystery and suspense not to mention a knockout ending. The Promise ~A Novel~ is a Flanker Press publication.

Other books written by Ida Linehan Young can be found here. 

Being Mary Ro by Ida Linehan Young

The winter of 1891 was a particularly difficult one for 14 year old Mary Rourke. After a diphtheria outbreak sweeps through John's Pond, Newfoundland Mary finds herself orphaned and alone. Accepting that she would be destined to a life of spinsterhood after her childhood sweetheart marries another woman,  she set about living a simple, yet hard life, in her outport community. Trying to maintain the two story saltbox house left to her by her parents while working in the lobster cannery during the spring fishery was not much of a life for a young woman. With a heavy heart, keen intellect and a dream of being somebody more than just a lonely outport lady, Mary quickly finds herself in the throws of yet another tragedy.....a tragedy that would bring an injured stranger in need of first aid, a rediscovered passion, and the opportunity of pursuing a new life in Boston.  Mary is faced with a series of tough decisions as she attempts to navigate the love she feels for her home but the desire to break the bonds of isolation and step out into an unknown and frightening new world. She begins to discover that she is no longer a victim of circumstance haunted by her past but is capable of great things and of loving again. This coming of age story will leave you transfixed and rooting for the woman who just wants to be, Mary Ro. 

Being Mary Ro is the first historical fiction novel for Newfoundland author Ida Linehan Young. Inspired by stories told by her father and based loosely on real events, the story of the people of John's Pond and surrounding communities is captivating on so many levels. As I first read this book I found myself transported back in time to the place and circumstances that the author so eloquently describes. With wonderfully descriptive language and well researched historical content, the reader is made to feel part of the community. For example, in describing the community of John's Pond, Linehan Young writes; 

"Barns and stables in several shades of cracked red paint on grey weathered boards scattered throughout the meadows beyond the mostly dull, white-coloured houses. The fishing stages lay half empty of bounty on the seashore, waiting to be filled with stacks of dried cod. Smaller skiffs and punts had been hauled up, their owners on the wharf getting ready to sign on with the schooners."

Ida Linehan Young also does a superb job in developing the characters of this novel. Young Mary Rourke, initially portrayed as a victim whom we feel great sorrow for, demonstrates resilience and strength throughout the entire novel. At first fractured by the vision she has of herself,  the reader is afforded an opportunity to be a part of her journey of self discovery and transformation. At the end of the novel, we cannot help but feel like proud parents and are relieved that Mary has found her place. She is relatable and is a reminder that we can all overcome the adversities of life. 

"Mary's heart skipped a beat as she realized that she did what she did because she was who she was, and that revelation briefly exposed for examination all the inadequate, undermining self-reflection of the last number of months - maybe even years. She wasn't a heroine, she didn't want accolades, she was Mary Ro - plain and simple - and there was nothing wrong with that."

Being Mary Ro is the full meal deal! It will whisk you away to the Victorian era of the late 19th century but also contains drama and crime. And of course, no great story would be complete without a healthy dose of true love and romance. Being Mary Ro is a Flanker Press publication. 

Other titles by Ida Linehan Young can be found here.