Pages in the Wind

Emily Quinn is only nineteen years old, ready to start her life away from her family and with the boy she loves. But she’s unable to do that because she’s locked in prison for murdering her father. Or so she thinks, since all her memories–from her traumatic childhood and the loss of her beloved sister due to a tragic accident all the way to the moment following the murder–are not to be trusted…

Her only hope and the one person who believes in her more than she does is a well-known psychiatrist called Dr. Liebermann. He proposes regression hypnosis as a way for Emily to retrieve the memories and information that her mind has chosen to store in her subconscious. But the mind is a powerful and magnificent organ, and it remembers everything, even if sometimes forgetting is better.

The story takes place in the ’60s, which is quite interesting because five decades later, domestic violence is not just an issue, it’s a cruel and unacceptable reality. Since losing her sister, Emily has been the black sheep in her family. Her father abuses her, both verbally and physically, and her mother may seem like she’s trying to stop it, but she continues to let it happen. The only two people who love her for who she really is, flaws and all, are her brother and the boy next door. They are her shelter when things go terribly wrong in the house.

The story is beautifully written, and Quinn is a memorable character who throughout the novel manages to unfold her deep, dark family secrets because that’s the only way she will finally be truly free once and for all…

Pages in the Wind is a page-turner with an unexpected twist that stays with you long after you finish the story. Sally Saylor De Smet delivers a genuine story of loss, violence, abuse, and secrets that changes you forever.