Next of Kin (Hardcover, 1st American ed)

Joanna Trollope's style, her nuanced perception, and her sensitivity all have made her a bestselling favorite on both sides of the Atlantic. Now, in Next of Kin, she draws on what The New York Times Book Review praises as her ability "to capture far-flung perspectives with compassion" to portray a family grappling-together and individually-with the death of a loved one. Caro Meredith, originally from California, led the life of an English farmer's wife for more than twenty years. Yet after her death, her grieving husband, Robin, wonders how well he really knew her. But Robin is not the only one left vulnerable; his brother, parents, and Judy, his daughter and Caro's step-daughter, are all thrown by the absence of the woman who had become a central figure in their lives. As they each struggle to cope with Caro's death, Judy's friend Zoe arrives from London and brings with her hope for a new beginning. All recognize that she is a catalyst for change. Next of Kin is about outsiders and insiders, about travelers and settlers, about living on the land and living with yourself. It offers a perceptive, if unsettling, insight into the forces of change, resignation, and making your own luck. Above all, it is written with Trollope's superbly appealing blend of complexity and humanity.