A Thread So Fine: A Novel

Product Description

St. Paul, Minnesota, 1946: When Shannon was a child, her father read aloud stories of a motherless princess who ventured far from the kingdom, connected to home by only the ethereal magic of a fine, silver thread.  As a shy and quirky young woman, Shannon knows she is neither a princess nor an adventuress – that would be her sister, Eliza.  But when Shannon barely survives a year in quarantine for TB, losing any hope of motherhood herself, and when Eliza runs away after a brutal attack, the fairy tale comes to life.  On her quest to bring Eliza home, Shannon discovers a secret child, the love of a good man, and the true meaning of family remade.  But when all is said and done, is the bond between sisters strong enough to save Eliza?

Review

6/6/2020: ”
A Thread So Fine” – Shortlisted for Publisher’s Weekly/Booklife’s inaugural US 2020 Selfies Book Award

“In A THREAD SO FINE, Susan Welch has written a beautiful story of sisters, history and love. The Malone sisters remind us a of a time – not so long ago – when a woman’s autonomy and self-realization often came at a price. Shannon and Eliza grabbed hold of my heart and carried it with them until the final, satisfying pages.” – 
Tara Conklin, NYT Bestselling Author of ‘THE LAST ROMANTICS’ and ‘THE HOUSE GIRL.’ 

In skillful, straightforward prose, Welch sets her character-driven narrative against the backdrop of postwar societal changes.Addictive…. An engaging and poignant historical fiction.” – Kirkus Reviews    “A Thread So Fine deftly captures the complications of sisterhood in a way that is both intimate and relatable. This is a compelling family saga that explores the contradictions of the mid-1900s,a period when appearances did not reflect the often-fraught reality of women’s lives.” Elise Hooper, Award-Winning Author of ‘LEARNING TO SEE’    “There are so many issues in this beautifully written book: unwed mothers, veterans with PTSD, violence against women, a broken family, women’s ambitions, and adoption.  Welch makes her readers ache for these two sisters and their unnecessary separation for so many years. This is one of those rare novels that forces you to sit for a few minutes after you’ve finished reading it until you are ready to return to the real world.”  Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities Pioneer Press    “Readers who undertake the journey of this evolving relationship between two sisters from childhood to adulthood will find that A Thread So Fine lassos the heart with stories of close connections tested by life’s progression. Readers of women’s fiction…will relish this engrossing saga of change and survival.” Midwest Book Review “The prose possesses a sophistication with a certain air of wistfulness for a time long past. The dialogue doesn’t suffer from any pretensions, and nothing feels too dated.The story hits a high note for originality, and the conflict between close families and the war between truth and lies ripping at the inner structure of family is very moving.” The BookLife Prize     “Susan Welch is a very talented writer; the story flows well and her attention to detail is fascinating. This book teaches you that not every family is perfect, and when things go wrong, you must take care of yourself.”  Reedsy Discovery “The novel is rich in details, and the characters are finely drawn. Those who enjoy problem fiction or historical fiction–or like me, lived through those times–will enjoy A Thread So Fine. I can see that this book would be a good book club choice…..” The Cyberlibrarian   “Ms. Welch was herself adopted and this journey provided the impetus for her to write this wonderful book. I fell in love with the characters and their separate journeys. If you are searching for a wonderful summer read this may be the book for you.”  Bookpleasures.com

From the Author

Growing up, I listened to my mother’s stories about her year in quarantine as a 19 year old TB patient in St. Paul, MN in the mid-194