Kelowna-based writer Glenna Turnbull, known for over two-decades as a freelance arts writer and columnist, is set to release her debut novel, The Art of Getting Lost and Found, this March. 

Published by Breakwater Books, the novel follows the journeys of two mothers as they search for better lives, leading both to Sally’s Cove in Newfoundland. Their stories take place in the same week in August, 130 years apart. 

One half of the plot takes place in 2017 and centres around Toronto woman Maggie Breen, who lost custody of her children following a bitter divorce. Shortly after the divorce, her mother passed away. Losing her mother and her children made Maggie want to escape her everyday life, so she decides to take her parents’ ashes to Newfoundland, leaving her medication behind. 

Told parallel to Maggie’s story is the story of Susan Short, better known as Shorty. Set in 1887 in Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, Shorty finds that life with her children is more peaceful when her husband, Lorne, is away. Lorne forbids Shorty and her children from reading, even though she wants to read a novel as a means of escape. Her life is upended when Lorne finds out she broke his rule, and Shorty is forced into action to protect herself and her children. 

The book alternates between Maggie and Shorty’s point of view, with short chapters told in first person from each character’s perspective. Turnbull connects the two stories with ease, keeping them from blending or confusing the reader. 

Both Maggie and Shorty are compelling protagonists. Hearing the stories told from their points of view made it easy to empathize with them and feel their emotions. I was rooting for each of them on their journey and watching both grow throughout the story was rewarding. 

The ending chapters hit me hard, leaving me shocked, amazed and moved by the result of the main characters’ journeys. Without too many spoilers, the story ties in with the legend of Sally’s Cove. You do not need to know the legend to understand the story as it is told in a way that is subtle and only fully revealed at the end. 

This is a moving and well-written debut novel by Turnbull. I would recommend it to those who like stories about women, those who like books that take you on a journey and those looking for stories set in Canada. 

The Art of Getting Lost and Found will be released March 26 through Breakwater Books. For more information on the book, visit breakwaterbooks.com.