At the insistence of her ex, writer Lucy Barton leaves NYC at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and moves with him to a seaside house in Maine. There they spend weeks in lockdown, visiting their children only sporadically. We see pandemic restrictions through their eyes: empty store shelves, masking, washing hands - and clothes after a trip to the grocery store - and distrust of outsiders. As weeks turn to months, each ponders their shared future, their past in NYC, and the complications and unhappy surprises as 2020 becomes 2021. Readers need not have read other Strout novels to enjoy this book, but those who have already met Lucy will appreciate this deep dive into her life.

Fantastically written, pulse quickening, Mo Hayder can write a book that leaves you thinking about it for many years to come

It was good because nat was trying her best to complete the trailton.

This book brings Jack and Annie to Australia. They obtain the final gift they need to help the dog Teddy and finish their four-part quest. We learned about kangaroos and there was a scary wildfire.

This book is a sequel to Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley.

A beautiful read. This is one to be read slowly and savored as the writing and story telling are elegant.

I think this book is a good book because... FIRST I like dogs ?? . SECOND I like the younger siblings of the original A-Z mystery kids. It was a fun story!

Hard to put it down. The mystery unfolds gradually.

Lucy Barton tells us all about her ex-husband’s life, including the collapse of William’s third marriage, the anxiety of having a father who was a Nazi POW, and his discovery that he has an older half sister in Maine. Of course readers also learn more about Lucy and her past and current relationships with William. Great beach-read for fans of Strout’s other books.

Yeah I could basically read this series forever, endlessly delighted by robots and this is such a fun depiction of 'em