What do you think?
Rate this book
More Than Sorrow
Once, Hannah Manning was an internationally-renowned journalist and war correspondent. Today, she's a woman suffering from a traumatic brain injury. Unable to concentrate, in pain, and haunted by her memories, Hannah goes to her sister's small vegetable farm in Prince Edward County, Ontario, to recover. There she finds comfort in the soft rolling hills and neat fields as well as friendship in the company of Hila Popalzai, an Afghan woman also traumatized by war. Struggling to read the printed word, Hannah retreats into the attic and finds 200-year-old letters about the original settlers, Loyalist refugees from the American Revolution in 1784. The letters lead Hannah to a root cellar beneath the old house where she experiences visions of a woman emerging from the icy cold mist. Is the woman real? Or the product of a severely damaged brain? Then Hila disappears. When Hannah cannot account for her time, not even to herself, old enemies begin to circle. Soon past and present merge into a terrifying threat to the only thing Hannah still holds dear―her ten-year-old niece Lily.
310 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2012
10 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Delany
58 books1,917 followers“It’s a crime not to read Delany,” so says the London Free Press.
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 19, 2013
Vicky Dleany writes two mystery series with many fans of each, The Constable Molly Smith Series and The Klondike Mystery Series I haven't read either but having heard so many good things about her writing and not wanting to commit to a series I decided to try this stand-alone More Than Sorrow.
There are really two stories here, one taking place in present Prince Edward County, Ontario and the other in the same locale, more specifically, the same house and its root cellar, 1786. Hannah Manning, a war journalist has suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been sent to recover at her sister's and brother-in-law's farm in their 200 year-old farmhouse. Recovery is painfully slow and as Hannah continues to have bouts of awful headaches which she calls Omar. Her brother-in-law resents her stay as money is tight. He allows her to go through some old letters in the attic written by loyalists, the original settlers of his home. These in turn, lead Hannah to the farm root cellar and it is here where she experiences some strange happenings, hallucinations or visions, part of her brain trauma she thinks. This, the second story, taking place in the 1700's becomes far more interesting to me than Hannah's present day life and its own mystery. The letters give title to the story
"I read more letters. Lives lived. Lives full of pain and death. The death of a precious daughter in infancy, a son crushed beneath a wagon,crops failing, valuable animals falling ill.
Sorrow, always sorrow.
I pulled myself up short. I was projecting onto these people. These letters were also about the price of brad and a visit from Aunt Martha.
Life was more than sorrow.
It had to be more than sorrow."
If the rest of the writing was as good as this I'd have become a fan. I found the present day story uneven, the characters over the top and not very interesting, particularly Hannah, and the plot was a stretch for me. I can see the possibility of series here but I'm not apt to read it. To be fair, I'd like to try one of the series books, perhaps, The Klondike, before I give up on this author.
There are really two stories here, one taking place in present Prince Edward County, Ontario and the other in the same locale, more specifically, the same house and its root cellar, 1786. Hannah Manning, a war journalist has suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been sent to recover at her sister's and brother-in-law's farm in their 200 year-old farmhouse. Recovery is painfully slow and as Hannah continues to have bouts of awful headaches which she calls Omar. Her brother-in-law resents her stay as money is tight. He allows her to go through some old letters in the attic written by loyalists, the original settlers of his home. These in turn, lead Hannah to the farm root cellar and it is here where she experiences some strange happenings, hallucinations or visions, part of her brain trauma she thinks. This, the second story, taking place in the 1700's becomes far more interesting to me than Hannah's present day life and its own mystery. The letters give title to the story
"I read more letters. Lives lived. Lives full of pain and death. The death of a precious daughter in infancy, a son crushed beneath a wagon,crops failing, valuable animals falling ill.
Sorrow, always sorrow.
I pulled myself up short. I was projecting onto these people. These letters were also about the price of brad and a visit from Aunt Martha.
Life was more than sorrow.
It had to be more than sorrow."
If the rest of the writing was as good as this I'd have become a fan. I found the present day story uneven, the characters over the top and not very interesting, particularly Hannah, and the plot was a stretch for me. I can see the possibility of series here but I'm not apt to read it. To be fair, I'd like to try one of the series books, perhaps, The Klondike, before I give up on this author.
August 1, 2012
It’s always a treat to find a new Delany novel, and MORE THAN SORROW again demonstrates her versatility and panache. Foreign correspondent Hannah Manning, recovering from brain injuries from an IED in Afghanistan, has retreated to her sister’s organic farm in the picturesque Prince Edward County section of southern Ontario. She has left behind a painful secret and a boyfriend killed in the attack that wounded her. Debilitating headaches (named “Omar” after one of her attackers) slow her recovery, but in the quiet countryside, perhaps she can heal with time.
With her inability to pitch in with the chores and the pampering by her sister and niece, she doesn’t endear herself to the man of the house, who sees her as a drain on their resources. Farming is a precarious life, and an extra burden isn’t appreciated. To help her pass the time, he allows Hannah grudging access to old family papers in the attic. His forebears were Loyalists, British who fled the American Revolution to come to Upper Canada for a new life.
Able to take short walks, Hannah is surprised to find a shy Afghan refugee nearby as a guest of a middle-aged couple, the Harrisons, who have an interest in the history and culture of the Middle East. Hila, a traumatized burn victim, was the only survivor in a murderous attack on her family. The farm community seems a safe place for both kindred souls. Hila and Hannah form a mutual bond from their ordeals.
As Hannah pores over the old records, another story emerges from the distant past, woven seamlessly into a nail-biting time-shifting duet. Maggie and Hamish Macgregor and their daughter had a peaceful life in the Mohawk Valley until the American Revolution set neighbour against neighbour. Hamish leaves to fight with the British forces, while his family faces the stigma of being enemies in their own land:
Maggie’s father was a member of the Colonial Assembly. A constant stream of men passed through their house, and all the talk was about raising an army to fight the forces of the English King. The Americans, Maggie’s mother explained, had declared their independence from Britain and they would have to fight to keep it. “There is no more King,” she explained. “All men are now equal.” “Women too?” “Don’t be foolish.”
The once wealthy Maggie, shunned by her own parents, flees north across the border to an unknown future. As Hannah plummets into poverty, she guards with her life her only treasure, a pair of diamond earrings.
Hannah’s headaches take a nasty turn when she goes to the old root cellar where the produce is stored. Imagining a woman in the dank mist, she loses consciousness and hours pass before she is discovered. A murder in the neighbourhood has rocked the community, and she is suspect number one. Did a flashback made her perceive the victim as a threat?
Delany embroiders several themes, paralleling the Loyalist refugees with today’s displaced people. Canada prides itself on its multi-culturalism and tolerance, but for some, the gates have been opened too wide. Many ethnics born in Canada regard themselves as equal citizens, such as the Muslim neurologist who tries to help Hannah regain her confidence.
The placid and picturesque setting provides a contrasting backdrop for the horrors of modern wartime as well as the 18th century. Weapons may have changed, but torture, humiliation, and savagery will not disappear. The Loyalists paid a high price to find safe homes in Canada the same way that refugees now come here for a second chance at life.
A master at characterization, Delany thrusts rapiers of golden dialogue to reveal and enhance complex motivations. Especially poignant is Hannah’s tender relationship to her young niece Lily and their faith in each other:
“That would be nice.” I leaned on the girl as I struggled to my feet. I opened my left eye, just a crack, and looked into her face. Pretty and concerned. Immediately after breakfast she’d gone out to tend to her beloved horses, and hay was caught in the back of her blond braid, and a streak of mud crossed her left cheek. She was all knees and elbows, bony chest, long thin legs, arms like sticks, luscious black lashes, and a perpetually laughing mouth. I thought she was incredibly beautiful.
Pain, power, and redemption. You can’t ask more than that. Although this novel appears to be a standalone, Hannah would make a strong and sensitive series character.
With her inability to pitch in with the chores and the pampering by her sister and niece, she doesn’t endear herself to the man of the house, who sees her as a drain on their resources. Farming is a precarious life, and an extra burden isn’t appreciated. To help her pass the time, he allows Hannah grudging access to old family papers in the attic. His forebears were Loyalists, British who fled the American Revolution to come to Upper Canada for a new life.
Able to take short walks, Hannah is surprised to find a shy Afghan refugee nearby as a guest of a middle-aged couple, the Harrisons, who have an interest in the history and culture of the Middle East. Hila, a traumatized burn victim, was the only survivor in a murderous attack on her family. The farm community seems a safe place for both kindred souls. Hila and Hannah form a mutual bond from their ordeals.
As Hannah pores over the old records, another story emerges from the distant past, woven seamlessly into a nail-biting time-shifting duet. Maggie and Hamish Macgregor and their daughter had a peaceful life in the Mohawk Valley until the American Revolution set neighbour against neighbour. Hamish leaves to fight with the British forces, while his family faces the stigma of being enemies in their own land:
Maggie’s father was a member of the Colonial Assembly. A constant stream of men passed through their house, and all the talk was about raising an army to fight the forces of the English King. The Americans, Maggie’s mother explained, had declared their independence from Britain and they would have to fight to keep it. “There is no more King,” she explained. “All men are now equal.” “Women too?” “Don’t be foolish.”
The once wealthy Maggie, shunned by her own parents, flees north across the border to an unknown future. As Hannah plummets into poverty, she guards with her life her only treasure, a pair of diamond earrings.
Hannah’s headaches take a nasty turn when she goes to the old root cellar where the produce is stored. Imagining a woman in the dank mist, she loses consciousness and hours pass before she is discovered. A murder in the neighbourhood has rocked the community, and she is suspect number one. Did a flashback made her perceive the victim as a threat?
Delany embroiders several themes, paralleling the Loyalist refugees with today’s displaced people. Canada prides itself on its multi-culturalism and tolerance, but for some, the gates have been opened too wide. Many ethnics born in Canada regard themselves as equal citizens, such as the Muslim neurologist who tries to help Hannah regain her confidence.
The placid and picturesque setting provides a contrasting backdrop for the horrors of modern wartime as well as the 18th century. Weapons may have changed, but torture, humiliation, and savagery will not disappear. The Loyalists paid a high price to find safe homes in Canada the same way that refugees now come here for a second chance at life.
A master at characterization, Delany thrusts rapiers of golden dialogue to reveal and enhance complex motivations. Especially poignant is Hannah’s tender relationship to her young niece Lily and their faith in each other:
“That would be nice.” I leaned on the girl as I struggled to my feet. I opened my left eye, just a crack, and looked into her face. Pretty and concerned. Immediately after breakfast she’d gone out to tend to her beloved horses, and hay was caught in the back of her blond braid, and a streak of mud crossed her left cheek. She was all knees and elbows, bony chest, long thin legs, arms like sticks, luscious black lashes, and a perpetually laughing mouth. I thought she was incredibly beautiful.
Pain, power, and redemption. You can’t ask more than that. Although this novel appears to be a standalone, Hannah would make a strong and sensitive series character.
January 19, 2015
A well written mystery that combines views of life in Prince Edward County, organic farming, a recovering journalist with a serious head injury, a disfigured Afghan woman and the strains in the marriage of her sister where she stays to recover. Good story.
September 13, 2018
Not a favorite of mine. The ending was good. The beginning though wasn't very inspiring and I almost DNF'd it. I didn't connect to any of the characters and it seemed like the bad guys came from out of nowhere.
September 9, 2012
First Sentence: They tell me it was an IED hidden I the truck full of goats going to market, pulled off to the side of the road with an apparent flat tire.
Journalist Hannah Storm is recovering of head injuries resulting from and IED attack in Afghanistan. She is staying in the old home of her sister and her family whose neighbors are housing Hila, an Afghani woman also severely injured by the war with whom she develops a quiet friendship. Visits to the farm’s root cellar have Hannah discovering more than vegetables; blackouts results in visions of a woman living during the American Revolution. When Hila is discovered murdered, Hannah must deal with her own recovery while trying to uncover the link between the death and the visions.
Ms. Delaney’s book begins with an excellent opening chapter that captures your attention and compels you to read more. She provides evocative descriptions of places and gives you an insight into the background of the protagonist. She also establishes a wonderful sense of the creepy fairly early in the story which, unfortunately, becomes a bit lost along the way.
There are basically three threads to the story; Hannah’s recovery, the possible haunting and the murder. While each is interesting, the weaving of them isn’t necessarily as tight as one might like to the point where I found sections a little dull. I did appreciate the perspective of seeing the life of a Loyalist wife during the Revolutionary War. However, although having an understanding of her life was critical to the story’s climax, it didn’t enhance the suspense of the story. The same could also be said of Hila’s character. She provided a means by which we had a small view into the life of an Afghani woman and a perspective of Afghanistan and the involvement of the West, but I never had a sense of her as a person.
Hannah is a well-drawn, fully dimensional character and reading about her dealing her injuries was one of the most interesting elements of the story. I truly showed the issues of those dealing with unseen injuries or ailments and the lack of understanding and resentments it can incite in others. Unfortunately, the men didn’t fare as well. They felt to be stereotypes, one of which felt completely superfluous to the plot. I identified one of the villains way too early while others seemed rather over-the-top; not so much due to their actions but more due to the dialogue which seemed forced.
In spite of the issues I may have had, “More Than Sorrow” was a good read. It kept me interested all the way through and I did enjoy it.
MORE THAN SORROW (Para Myst-Hannah Manning-Canada-Contemporary/18th Cent) – Good
Delany, Vicki – Standalone
Poisoned Pen Press, 2012
Journalist Hannah Storm is recovering of head injuries resulting from and IED attack in Afghanistan. She is staying in the old home of her sister and her family whose neighbors are housing Hila, an Afghani woman also severely injured by the war with whom she develops a quiet friendship. Visits to the farm’s root cellar have Hannah discovering more than vegetables; blackouts results in visions of a woman living during the American Revolution. When Hila is discovered murdered, Hannah must deal with her own recovery while trying to uncover the link between the death and the visions.
Ms. Delaney’s book begins with an excellent opening chapter that captures your attention and compels you to read more. She provides evocative descriptions of places and gives you an insight into the background of the protagonist. She also establishes a wonderful sense of the creepy fairly early in the story which, unfortunately, becomes a bit lost along the way.
There are basically three threads to the story; Hannah’s recovery, the possible haunting and the murder. While each is interesting, the weaving of them isn’t necessarily as tight as one might like to the point where I found sections a little dull. I did appreciate the perspective of seeing the life of a Loyalist wife during the Revolutionary War. However, although having an understanding of her life was critical to the story’s climax, it didn’t enhance the suspense of the story. The same could also be said of Hila’s character. She provided a means by which we had a small view into the life of an Afghani woman and a perspective of Afghanistan and the involvement of the West, but I never had a sense of her as a person.
Hannah is a well-drawn, fully dimensional character and reading about her dealing her injuries was one of the most interesting elements of the story. I truly showed the issues of those dealing with unseen injuries or ailments and the lack of understanding and resentments it can incite in others. Unfortunately, the men didn’t fare as well. They felt to be stereotypes, one of which felt completely superfluous to the plot. I identified one of the villains way too early while others seemed rather over-the-top; not so much due to their actions but more due to the dialogue which seemed forced.
In spite of the issues I may have had, “More Than Sorrow” was a good read. It kept me interested all the way through and I did enjoy it.
MORE THAN SORROW (Para Myst-Hannah Manning-Canada-Contemporary/18th Cent) – Good
Delany, Vicki – Standalone
Poisoned Pen Press, 2012
July 15, 2014
In MORE THAN SORROW, Vicki Delany weaves together two stories, one about a Canadian reporter who suffered traumatic brain injury in an IED explosion in Afghanistan and has gone to live with her sister on an organic farm while she recuperates; the other about a long-ago resident of that same farm, a woman refugee from the American Revolution, whose husband had remained loyal to King George. Showing "the other side" of the American Revolution is always intriguing--Americans usually forget (or never knew) that about a third of the colonists were Loyalists (loyal to the King), one third were patriots wanting independence, and one third who couldn't care less. After independence, Loyalists were hounded, killed, and driven into relative safety of Canada. The parallels between the Loyalist woman fleeing persecution and an Afghan woman (who befriends the reporter) who is fleeing similar persecution are deliberate. I picked out one Bad Guy very quickly, but the other had me fooled.
April 3, 2024
I stumbled upon this book and am pleased to say that it was not easy to put down. Easy to read, interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns. I also appreciated the number of female characters that drive the story and it definitely passes the Bechdel Test. I will now seek further written by this author.
October 18, 2012
Vicki Delany is one of my favourite crime writers. She's one of the few people whose stand-alone books I enjoy just as much as her series (Constable Molly Smith). A brilliant example of a modern gothic thriller, More than Sorrow hits all the right notes.
December 31, 2017
Quick read about a location I love (Price Edward County) and some information about the Loyalists which I don't know a lot about. The plot was a little choppy and ending perhaps obvious, but worth the read.
September 19, 2018
Well written, but a tough story to read.
June 6, 2022
mystery? novel
Great author
refugees to Canada- Loyalists and Afghanis, people just want to be safe in their own home..
Great author
refugees to Canada- Loyalists and Afghanis, people just want to be safe in their own home..
July 19, 2022
This book was called a mystery. It wasn’t. More of a woo-woo book. Even skipping large portions of this book, I wasted to much of my time.
November 5, 2021
This is about historical fiction, paranormal stuff, traumatic brain injury, current events (in 2012) & recent history, & a murder mystery! A lot of types in one book! Is she being possessed by a ghost, or time-traveling? There were times that it had been too long since the last installment of the 18th century story & I’d lost track of that thread & had to go back & review. A couple of disappointments: I thought we’d hear that Jake was now eternally grateful to Hannah, & stopped being such a ____ to & about her. And I thought they’d find Maggie’s bones buried in the root cellar. The end about Emily is sad. But I suppose her knowing the truth would be sadder. As with this author’s other books: lots of typos! I’ll choose to believe that confusing dust motes & dust mites was a typo, not ignorance. But in one scene, the wrong character name was inserted—twice! It should’ve said Ashley but said Ashley’s mother’s name (which I’ve forgotten), who wasn’t there! That’s sloppy. But overall, despite the fact that I don’t usually read ghost stories, I found it compelling, & wanted to keep reading. (And it was Halloween just a few days ago, so a good time for a ghost story.)
September 15, 2018
+++Hannah Manning was seriously injured by an IED while serving as a Canadian war correspondent in Afghanistan. The brain damage doesn't allow her to be in strong light, read print and gives her hallucinations - or at least she think that they are. She needs someone around her at all times, so she is staying with her sister Joanne and her family on a small farm on Prince Edward Island for the fresh air and rural quiet and natural surroundings. She becomes acquainted with a young lady staying on a neighboring farm and then Hila disappears. The farm is overrun with policemen and they interfere with the work that needs to be done and everyone is interrogated over and over. Brother in law Jake resents a non working mouth to feed, but niece Lily is firmly in her corner and loves to ride with her aunt Hannah. High suspense with some unexpected twists, a touch of the occult and a totally unexpected villain.+++
October 16, 2025
This seemed like a great story: a renowned war correspondent is suffering from a brain injury from an IED blast in Afghanistan and is recovering at her sister's family's organic farm. She meets a young Afghan girl nearby, badly scarred from a car bombing and living under asylum status. There is a mystery regarding a death and treasure.
But the story frequently delved into visions the brain-injured woman has regarding the life of a woman who lived in the original structure on the farm, so it veered into supernatural or magical territory at times. I prefer a straightforward thriller/mystery so that affected my score downwards.
But the story frequently delved into visions the brain-injured woman has regarding the life of a woman who lived in the original structure on the farm, so it veered into supernatural or magical territory at times. I prefer a straightforward thriller/mystery so that affected my score downwards.
September 30, 2025
I quite enjoyed this story and the history of the loyalists which I had not previously thought too much about, in spite of being descended from them. I had listened to the audiobook and the actor did a great job. It would be nice however if books which were based in Canada were read by Canadians as I got distracted by the narrator’s accent (all the ‘ow’ sounds as in ‘around, how, etc’.) This felt like more than a gothic mystery given the author’s sensitivity to the plight of women, in various cultures and historical times.
November 17, 2022
This novel had a LOT going on! I really liked how the author highlighted the reality of a head injury for the main character and how she provided was a strong sense of place. This story has a complicated protagonist, family drama, racism, ableism, high stakes theft, murder and all this this mixed with a paranormal element. I can honestly say I am not a fan of the paranormal but I feel the author did justice to combining two very interesting and compelling stories.
April 3, 2024
A good read in a nice setting.
I noticed that in this novel, as well as one of the Molly Smith series, Ms Delaney incorporated two rather unsavory characters who live, or have lived, in Smiths Falls, Ontario. I was raised in Smiths Falls. I am a nice person. I would like to assure the reading public that I know of dozens of people from Smiths Falls who are kind, intelligent, thoughtful and caring people who recycle, pay their taxes, love animals, donate to worthy causes and are respectful to senior citizens :-).
I noticed that in this novel, as well as one of the Molly Smith series, Ms Delaney incorporated two rather unsavory characters who live, or have lived, in Smiths Falls, Ontario. I was raised in Smiths Falls. I am a nice person. I would like to assure the reading public that I know of dozens of people from Smiths Falls who are kind, intelligent, thoughtful and caring people who recycle, pay their taxes, love animals, donate to worthy causes and are respectful to senior citizens :-).
December 21, 2025
This book was my introduction to Vicki Delany and I found it was hard to put down. The protagonist is a news journalist who is recovering from a traumatic brain injury from an IED explosion in Afghanistan. While she is recovering ❤️🩹 at the homestead of her sister and family, she struggles with ongoing blackouts, headaches and hallucinations. Despite the wholesome family life on the family farm, there’s something evil lurking in the periphery.
January 1, 2023
A very interesting mystery-historical fiction. Set in Ontario the storyline reveals that loyalists from America's Revolution settled in the area and that prejudice against outsiders still lingers in modern day. But there's much more to the murder of a young Afghan woman that main character Hannah befriended. Definitely worth reading for mystery readers.
June 19, 2017
What a great story, intertwined with a haunted woman, with a haunted past in a haunted family farm. I can't wait for more!
April 28, 2020
Audiobook
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2020
Picked the obvious bad guy as soon as he appeared. Suspected the other. I enjoyed it though.
March 7, 2025
Good story. Kept me interested all the way through.
September 25, 2012
Do not start reading this book unless you can stay up all night to finish it! Once you begin, everything else will be put on hold. I originally asked for a review copy because I am a fan of Vicki Delany, and I thought this was going to be another of her Constable Molly Smith novels. So I was only momentarily disappointed to find it was a stand alone. And believe me, the disappointment quickly turned to fascination, involvement, immersion, and absolute awe. It is always uplifting to see authors who are able to branch out from established series to try new characters, settings, and plots. Delany doesn't disappoint.
Ostensibly a murder mystery, this book is so much more. It is a multi-layered, multi-genre, multi-facted story that appears to set up quickly, but then slowly and inexorably pulls the reader into the deeper layers of the story. It is the story of 3, no - 4, no! - 5 women: Hannah Manning- a Candadian journalist who has suffered Traumatic Brain injury from an IED explosion while covering the war in Afghanistan; Maggie MacGregor - widow of a Tory soldier who died in the American Revolutionary war and who, in the late 18th century, was one of the original inhabitants of the house where Hannah is staying; Hila, an Afghani woman living in the farmhouse down the road; Lily - Hannah's 12 year old niece; and Rebecca Mansour, Hannah's neurologist.
The hard-scrapple farm where Hannah is staying belongs to her sister and brother-in-law. It was his family's farm for generations. It's small, and the couple is determined to eke out a living by producing organic and locally grown food for the family and for local families, eateries and stores. Low wages, transient workers, and never-ending back-breaking work are the norms that form the framework for the story. There's a scruffy dog, an attic full of old family mementos, an obnoxious mother-in-law, some horses, and OH! Did I mention a murder? There are men of authority whose identity is predicated on controlling women throughout the stories of all the cultures and generations of these various women.
While we certainly want to find out all the details of the murder, the real story is the unfolding realization by all the women of how much control they do or do not have over their own destinies. All the competing stories could have resulted in a scrappy patchwork quilt of a story. Instead, Delaney deftly weaves all the threads together to form a beautiful tapestry of women's roles, women's plights, and women's strengths over several centuries, and in several different cultures. Yes, the murder is solved but that's all the spoiler you'll get from me. The real story is how each of these women's lives are impacted by violence, friendship, male dominance, enslavement, and love, generosity, hope and forgiveness.
This is way more than your basic mystery story.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for making the review copy available.
Author: Vicki Delany
Publisher-Format: Poisoned Pen Press, e-galley 312 pages
Date of publication: Sept 4, 2012
Subject: Traumatic Brain Injury, women's rights, cultural differences, murder
Setting: Prince Edward County Canada
Genre: fiction, mystery
Source: e book from publisher via Net Galley
Ostensibly a murder mystery, this book is so much more. It is a multi-layered, multi-genre, multi-facted story that appears to set up quickly, but then slowly and inexorably pulls the reader into the deeper layers of the story. It is the story of 3, no - 4, no! - 5 women: Hannah Manning- a Candadian journalist who has suffered Traumatic Brain injury from an IED explosion while covering the war in Afghanistan; Maggie MacGregor - widow of a Tory soldier who died in the American Revolutionary war and who, in the late 18th century, was one of the original inhabitants of the house where Hannah is staying; Hila, an Afghani woman living in the farmhouse down the road; Lily - Hannah's 12 year old niece; and Rebecca Mansour, Hannah's neurologist.
The hard-scrapple farm where Hannah is staying belongs to her sister and brother-in-law. It was his family's farm for generations. It's small, and the couple is determined to eke out a living by producing organic and locally grown food for the family and for local families, eateries and stores. Low wages, transient workers, and never-ending back-breaking work are the norms that form the framework for the story. There's a scruffy dog, an attic full of old family mementos, an obnoxious mother-in-law, some horses, and OH! Did I mention a murder? There are men of authority whose identity is predicated on controlling women throughout the stories of all the cultures and generations of these various women.
While we certainly want to find out all the details of the murder, the real story is the unfolding realization by all the women of how much control they do or do not have over their own destinies. All the competing stories could have resulted in a scrappy patchwork quilt of a story. Instead, Delaney deftly weaves all the threads together to form a beautiful tapestry of women's roles, women's plights, and women's strengths over several centuries, and in several different cultures. Yes, the murder is solved but that's all the spoiler you'll get from me. The real story is how each of these women's lives are impacted by violence, friendship, male dominance, enslavement, and love, generosity, hope and forgiveness.
This is way more than your basic mystery story.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for making the review copy available.
Author: Vicki Delany
Publisher-Format: Poisoned Pen Press, e-galley 312 pages
Date of publication: Sept 4, 2012
Subject: Traumatic Brain Injury, women's rights, cultural differences, murder
Setting: Prince Edward County Canada
Genre: fiction, mystery
Source: e book from publisher via Net Galley
October 13, 2012
First Line: They tell me it was an IED hidden in a truck full of goats going to market, pulled off to the side of the road with an apparent flat tire.
Until an improvised explosive device ripped into her vehicle, Hannah Manning was an internationally-renowned journalist and war correspondent. Now suffering from TBI (traumatic brain injury), Hannah's staying with her sister and her family on a small vegetable farm in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada.
She's been told that her type of injury can take a long time to heal, but she never dreamed that time would drag so slowly. The tiniest thing can set off a horrendous headache. Once a voracious reader, she can no longer read the printed word. Her brother-in-law doesn't understand the nature of her injury and wishes she would leave-- the sooner the better. The only ways Hannah has found to pass the time is by fixing lunch for everyone, going for walks with Hila, an Afghan refugee staying on a neighboring farm, and going on the occasional horseback ride with her ten-year-old niece Lily.
When Hannah is told that they're living in the original farmhouse her brother-in-law's ancestors built in the 1780s and that there are trunks filled with letters and other documents in the attic, she perks up a bit. Although she can't read the printed word, she can read handwriting... just one of the quirks of TBI. Sleepless most nights, Hannah goes up into the attic to read those letters and becomes interested in the life of Maggie Macgregor, a woman whose life was destroyed by the Revolutionary War. Hannah also begins to have visions of a woman whenever she has to go down into the root cellar. Are these visions a result of TBI... or are they real? (And which would be worse?) Then Hila disappears, and when Hannah cannot account for her time, old enemies begin to circle.
Author Vicki Delany has written an absorbing tale of suspense centered on an old Canadian farmhouse built by people loyal to England who were forced to leave the United States during the Revolutionary War. Maggie Macgregor is a woman in the past who is dependent upon others for her survival. Hannah Manning is an independent woman in the present who is afraid that she will be dependent upon others for the rest of her life. These parallel stories twine about each other and give each character a chance to shine-- and shine they do.
Hannah is a very well-defined, believable character; however, this tale isn't merely a character study. More Than Sorrow has a lot to say about people's reactions to refugees (and how it feels to be one), how long-buried secrets will always find a way to haunt those in the present, and it also sheds light on a little-known chapter in American Revolutionary War history. When I finally closed the cover on this book, I was thoroughly entertained, enlightened, and wishing that I knew what was in store for Hannah Manning in the years to come. Vicki Delany is the author of two excellent mystery series, but if I were you, I wouldn't ignore her standalone novels-- like More Than Sorrow.
Until an improvised explosive device ripped into her vehicle, Hannah Manning was an internationally-renowned journalist and war correspondent. Now suffering from TBI (traumatic brain injury), Hannah's staying with her sister and her family on a small vegetable farm in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada.
She's been told that her type of injury can take a long time to heal, but she never dreamed that time would drag so slowly. The tiniest thing can set off a horrendous headache. Once a voracious reader, she can no longer read the printed word. Her brother-in-law doesn't understand the nature of her injury and wishes she would leave-- the sooner the better. The only ways Hannah has found to pass the time is by fixing lunch for everyone, going for walks with Hila, an Afghan refugee staying on a neighboring farm, and going on the occasional horseback ride with her ten-year-old niece Lily.
When Hannah is told that they're living in the original farmhouse her brother-in-law's ancestors built in the 1780s and that there are trunks filled with letters and other documents in the attic, she perks up a bit. Although she can't read the printed word, she can read handwriting... just one of the quirks of TBI. Sleepless most nights, Hannah goes up into the attic to read those letters and becomes interested in the life of Maggie Macgregor, a woman whose life was destroyed by the Revolutionary War. Hannah also begins to have visions of a woman whenever she has to go down into the root cellar. Are these visions a result of TBI... or are they real? (And which would be worse?) Then Hila disappears, and when Hannah cannot account for her time, old enemies begin to circle.
Author Vicki Delany has written an absorbing tale of suspense centered on an old Canadian farmhouse built by people loyal to England who were forced to leave the United States during the Revolutionary War. Maggie Macgregor is a woman in the past who is dependent upon others for her survival. Hannah Manning is an independent woman in the present who is afraid that she will be dependent upon others for the rest of her life. These parallel stories twine about each other and give each character a chance to shine-- and shine they do.
Hannah is a very well-defined, believable character; however, this tale isn't merely a character study. More Than Sorrow has a lot to say about people's reactions to refugees (and how it feels to be one), how long-buried secrets will always find a way to haunt those in the present, and it also sheds light on a little-known chapter in American Revolutionary War history. When I finally closed the cover on this book, I was thoroughly entertained, enlightened, and wishing that I knew what was in store for Hannah Manning in the years to come. Vicki Delany is the author of two excellent mystery series, but if I were you, I wouldn't ignore her standalone novels-- like More Than Sorrow.
September 18, 2012
Review of More Than Sorrow by Vicki Delany
Women who have lost their freedom to act according to their own choices—that’s the theme of Delany’s More Than Sorrow. Delany has interwoven the stories of Hannah, Hila and Maggie, moving across time and place to present three quite different ways in which women lose their autonomy. Hannah is an international reporter at the top of her field. She should have complete liberty to conduct her life as she wishes. However, an IED in Afghanistan has left her brain impaired enough that she isn’t able to live independently. She stays with her sister’s family on their small organic produce farm in Prince Edward County, Canada. It’s an idyllic setting for recovery—on the surface—but underneath there’s trouble. Hannah begins to sense another woman’s history coming to her in ways she does not understand, although perhaps the old family letters and journal she’s been reading in the attic are triggering these thoughts. Maggie’s life begins to unfold in parallel to Hannah’s, and we learn she was married to a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War and lost all that mattered to her, ending up on this plot of land when she had no other place to go—rather as Hannah has. And then there’s Hannah’s quiet new friend, Hila, who is a refugee from Afghanistan who’s been taken in by the neighbors. For both Hila and Hannah, there’s solace in their silent walks, an understanding of the violence that’s marked them both in the same region of the world. Hila’s world is constricted by her traditional Afghani view of appropriate behavior for women, but even more by fear she cannot escape even in the peaceful woods of Canada. All three women are in some sense refugees from the world where they belong. In counterpoint to these three restricted women, Delany depicts Lily, Hannah’s ten-year-old niece, who is full of life and joy and is very much at home in her environment, but even her liberty becomes threatened.
There’s a modern murder mystery to solve, along with secrets, ghostly presences (Delany views it as a modern Gothic and I agree), and some historical fiction with Maggie’s strand. Plenty of action and suspense, but to me the sustaining force of the book lies in the way we are invited to think about women and the interplay between courageous acts of independence, garden-variety daily repression across centuries and cultures, and villainous acts of suppression. Being a woman can be tough. Nice to meet some female characters who face the job with courage even in the midst of tragedy.
Women who have lost their freedom to act according to their own choices—that’s the theme of Delany’s More Than Sorrow. Delany has interwoven the stories of Hannah, Hila and Maggie, moving across time and place to present three quite different ways in which women lose their autonomy. Hannah is an international reporter at the top of her field. She should have complete liberty to conduct her life as she wishes. However, an IED in Afghanistan has left her brain impaired enough that she isn’t able to live independently. She stays with her sister’s family on their small organic produce farm in Prince Edward County, Canada. It’s an idyllic setting for recovery—on the surface—but underneath there’s trouble. Hannah begins to sense another woman’s history coming to her in ways she does not understand, although perhaps the old family letters and journal she’s been reading in the attic are triggering these thoughts. Maggie’s life begins to unfold in parallel to Hannah’s, and we learn she was married to a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War and lost all that mattered to her, ending up on this plot of land when she had no other place to go—rather as Hannah has. And then there’s Hannah’s quiet new friend, Hila, who is a refugee from Afghanistan who’s been taken in by the neighbors. For both Hila and Hannah, there’s solace in their silent walks, an understanding of the violence that’s marked them both in the same region of the world. Hila’s world is constricted by her traditional Afghani view of appropriate behavior for women, but even more by fear she cannot escape even in the peaceful woods of Canada. All three women are in some sense refugees from the world where they belong. In counterpoint to these three restricted women, Delany depicts Lily, Hannah’s ten-year-old niece, who is full of life and joy and is very much at home in her environment, but even her liberty becomes threatened.
There’s a modern murder mystery to solve, along with secrets, ghostly presences (Delany views it as a modern Gothic and I agree), and some historical fiction with Maggie’s strand. Plenty of action and suspense, but to me the sustaining force of the book lies in the way we are invited to think about women and the interplay between courageous acts of independence, garden-variety daily repression across centuries and cultures, and villainous acts of suppression. Being a woman can be tough. Nice to meet some female characters who face the job with courage even in the midst of tragedy.
August 30, 2013
Ms. Delany, a Canadian, is a clever, experienced writer of crime fiction. Her new novel is a clever blend of historical and modern crime.
Her series, featuring Constable Molly Smith, is a judicious blend of police procedural and family conflict. This stand-alone novel is unique. It brings to US readers some considerable historical perspective on the American Revolution which is not typically taught in schools below the border. But facts are facts and the late seventeen hundreds in the Colonies were dangerous and difficult times for many colonists who remained loyal to King George and Great Britain. Delany draws on this history to ground Hannah Manning, an award-winning journalist.
Hannah is recovering from traumatic brain injuries suffered in an attack on troops in Afghanistan. Her injury leads to erratic and mysterious actions and what appear to her to be visions of people who inhabited the ancient farm centuries ago. Her sister, Joanna, takes her in for a recovery period on her hard-scrabble farm near the shores of Lake Ontario. Hannah’s recovery is slow and painful and she is subjected to fainting spells and visions which her practical side rejects as hallucinatory, and yet.
The presence on the neighboring farm of a refugee woman from Afghanistan leads to additional strains on the family and plunges Jake, Joanna, their daughter Lily and Hannah, into danger from greedy, amoral forces.
The novel is rich with questions, suspense, intriguing relationships, and danger, all played against a bucolic rural setting. There are interesting parallels from the Loyalists who cleared and established the small farm in the late Eighteenth Century, their struggles and those of the current residents. I am not a big fan of specter and spirit manipulated crime novels. Nevertheless, the unanswered events and questions from 1788 and that summer of 2010 in the dark root cellar beneath the original house, give rise to a very satisfactory conclusion. For all my reservations, I say, bravo for a thoughtful, well-conceived and written novel. A copy was supplied to me by Ms Delany’s publisher.
Her series, featuring Constable Molly Smith, is a judicious blend of police procedural and family conflict. This stand-alone novel is unique. It brings to US readers some considerable historical perspective on the American Revolution which is not typically taught in schools below the border. But facts are facts and the late seventeen hundreds in the Colonies were dangerous and difficult times for many colonists who remained loyal to King George and Great Britain. Delany draws on this history to ground Hannah Manning, an award-winning journalist.
Hannah is recovering from traumatic brain injuries suffered in an attack on troops in Afghanistan. Her injury leads to erratic and mysterious actions and what appear to her to be visions of people who inhabited the ancient farm centuries ago. Her sister, Joanna, takes her in for a recovery period on her hard-scrabble farm near the shores of Lake Ontario. Hannah’s recovery is slow and painful and she is subjected to fainting spells and visions which her practical side rejects as hallucinatory, and yet.
The presence on the neighboring farm of a refugee woman from Afghanistan leads to additional strains on the family and plunges Jake, Joanna, their daughter Lily and Hannah, into danger from greedy, amoral forces.
The novel is rich with questions, suspense, intriguing relationships, and danger, all played against a bucolic rural setting. There are interesting parallels from the Loyalists who cleared and established the small farm in the late Eighteenth Century, their struggles and those of the current residents. I am not a big fan of specter and spirit manipulated crime novels. Nevertheless, the unanswered events and questions from 1788 and that summer of 2010 in the dark root cellar beneath the original house, give rise to a very satisfactory conclusion. For all my reservations, I say, bravo for a thoughtful, well-conceived and written novel. A copy was supplied to me by Ms Delany’s publisher.
April 3, 2015
More than Sorrow is an engrossing & captivating mystery novel that is at times both suspenseful & disturbing. Two different eras form the backdrop for the tale - the main story takes place in contemporary small town Ontario and the back story deals with Loyalist inhabitants of the area before and after the American Revolution. Much of the story revolves around the experiences of Hannah Manning, a world renowned journalist, who is recuperating at her sister's family's organic market garden farm after being seriously injured in an IED bombing in Afghanistan. Hannah has a serious brain injury & is unable to look after herself or return to work. She is also experiencing bouts of missed consciousness that may involve hallucinations but is reluctant to admit to the problem. The old root cellar and the original farmstead that now serves as the produce store are where Hannah is most apt to see or hear tales from the Loyalist era. Hannah befriends Hila, the sole survivor from an attack on her family in Afghanistan, who is now lodging with a couple who live down the road from Hannah's sister's farm. When Hila disappears Hannah becomes a suspect. Eventually the present-day mystery collides with the past and most of the mysteries are solved. I loved the fictionalized historical details given of the trials and tribulations that befell inhabitants of the colonies that stayed loyal to the king, a little known truth. These stories were particularly disturbing. Although I am not a great lover of paranormal stories the inferences in the story to family records helped make the "ghost" visions believable & relevant. I was slightly disturbed by the actions and personality of Hannah's brother-in-law but am willing to put his character down to financial and family pressures. A haunting and well researched historical tale that I would highly recommend to others.
November 30, 2012
This is my first time reading anything by Vicki Delany and I will be looking into some of her other offerings. This is a standalone mystery, not part of any series but I found myself wanting to know more of what happens to Hannah Manning as I closed the back cover.
Hannah Manning has found herself convalescing out in the Ontario country side, on her sister’s organic farm. Manning once a successful journalist and war correspondent was assigned to Afghanistan when an IED left her with a traumatic brain injury. Now unable to concentrate long enough to read anything more than the dusty old letters in the farms attic and in constant fear of crippling headaches, Hannah is learning to deal with those who see her as a burden and accepting help and love from those who care.
Hannah befriends the neighbor’s houseguest, a refugee woman named Hila, from Afghanistan, and while taking long walks in the woods the two women slowly start helping each other to heal from wounds that no one else can see or understand. When Hila goes missing and more than just the local police are taking an interest in such a low profile event, Hannah will find herself needing every ounce of strength and resources she can muster to navigate the strange and ultimately deadly events that follow.
I found this book to be very thought provoking on not just the topic of traumatic brain injuries and the stigmas attached to its sufferers but also on a historical level from the perspective of the loyalist/royalist supporters from our own Revolutionary War. This was a wonderful mystery read and I look forward to reading a few more books by Delany.
Hannah Manning has found herself convalescing out in the Ontario country side, on her sister’s organic farm. Manning once a successful journalist and war correspondent was assigned to Afghanistan when an IED left her with a traumatic brain injury. Now unable to concentrate long enough to read anything more than the dusty old letters in the farms attic and in constant fear of crippling headaches, Hannah is learning to deal with those who see her as a burden and accepting help and love from those who care.
Hannah befriends the neighbor’s houseguest, a refugee woman named Hila, from Afghanistan, and while taking long walks in the woods the two women slowly start helping each other to heal from wounds that no one else can see or understand. When Hila goes missing and more than just the local police are taking an interest in such a low profile event, Hannah will find herself needing every ounce of strength and resources she can muster to navigate the strange and ultimately deadly events that follow.
I found this book to be very thought provoking on not just the topic of traumatic brain injuries and the stigmas attached to its sufferers but also on a historical level from the perspective of the loyalist/royalist supporters from our own Revolutionary War. This was a wonderful mystery read and I look forward to reading a few more books by Delany.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews