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Squirrel Pie: A Memoir
"Evocative and powerful." - BookLife Review
"A story that plays a full range of notes and never goes off-key. Bravo!" - Writer's Digest (2025 E-Book Awards)
Detroit is a thriving blue-collar town in the 1970s, an era when alcoholism and dysfunction thrive behind closed doors. When fifteen-year-old Debbie accepts a new babysitting job she has no idea that it will forever alter her life. Mac, father of the young children she cares for, slowly begins to groom Debbie with words of praise and flattery.
Longing for emotional connection she agrees to run away with Mac, only to find herself trapped in desperate poverty with a violent alcoholic. She raises three children on roadkill meals and makes herself small and compliant, waiting for someone to save her.
When Mac’s violence threatens more than just Debbie's life she discovers the strength to say, “No more.” Little does she know, however, that leaving her abuser will involve a kidnapping, a murder, and an interstate FBI manhunt.
In the darkest days of her life Debbie discovers unlikely allies in a pin-stripe suited lawyer, a kind hearted fast food manager and a playground patrol mom living in a cramped trailer with her tattooed stripper girlfriend. This cast of unsung heroes help her find a way forward.
Squirrel Pie is a true story of the painful realities around abuse, addiction, mental illness, and generational trauma. It is also a success story; a story in which perseverance, resilience, compassion, and unexpected allies lead Debbie to a life of healthy connections and choosing joy.
"A story that plays a full range of notes and never goes off-key. Bravo!" - Writer's Digest (2025 E-Book Awards)
Detroit is a thriving blue-collar town in the 1970s, an era when alcoholism and dysfunction thrive behind closed doors. When fifteen-year-old Debbie accepts a new babysitting job she has no idea that it will forever alter her life. Mac, father of the young children she cares for, slowly begins to groom Debbie with words of praise and flattery.
Longing for emotional connection she agrees to run away with Mac, only to find herself trapped in desperate poverty with a violent alcoholic. She raises three children on roadkill meals and makes herself small and compliant, waiting for someone to save her.
When Mac’s violence threatens more than just Debbie's life she discovers the strength to say, “No more.” Little does she know, however, that leaving her abuser will involve a kidnapping, a murder, and an interstate FBI manhunt.
In the darkest days of her life Debbie discovers unlikely allies in a pin-stripe suited lawyer, a kind hearted fast food manager and a playground patrol mom living in a cramped trailer with her tattooed stripper girlfriend. This cast of unsung heroes help her find a way forward.
Squirrel Pie is a true story of the painful realities around abuse, addiction, mental illness, and generational trauma. It is also a success story; a story in which perseverance, resilience, compassion, and unexpected allies lead Debbie to a life of healthy connections and choosing joy.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 29, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 30, 2025
TITLE: Squirrel Pie
AUTHOR: Deborah Brannigan
PUB DATE: 06.27.25
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unforgettable. Raw. Inspiring.
Squirrel Pie is one of the most powerful memoirs I’ve read in a long time. Deborah Brannigan invites readers into the hidden struggles of her teenage years and beyond, painting a vivid portrait of life shaped by grooming, abuse, poverty, and survival. Her honesty is searing, and you can feel both the terror and the tenderness in every chapter.
What moved me most was her ability to tell a story rooted in trauma while never losing sight of resilience. Even in the darkest moments, such as raising children on roadkill, and living with violence and fear, Brannigan’s inner strength shines through. This is not just a story of pain; it is a story of perseverance, courage, and the hard-won decision to reclaim joy.
Brannigan’s writing is clear, compelling, and impossible to put down. I finished it in two sittings, and it has stayed with me ever since.
Readers who value memoirs that don’t flinch from hard truths, but ultimately deliver hope and inspiration, will find Squirrel Pie unforgettable.
Highly recommend.
AUTHOR: Deborah Brannigan
PUB DATE: 06.27.25
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unforgettable. Raw. Inspiring.
Squirrel Pie is one of the most powerful memoirs I’ve read in a long time. Deborah Brannigan invites readers into the hidden struggles of her teenage years and beyond, painting a vivid portrait of life shaped by grooming, abuse, poverty, and survival. Her honesty is searing, and you can feel both the terror and the tenderness in every chapter.
What moved me most was her ability to tell a story rooted in trauma while never losing sight of resilience. Even in the darkest moments, such as raising children on roadkill, and living with violence and fear, Brannigan’s inner strength shines through. This is not just a story of pain; it is a story of perseverance, courage, and the hard-won decision to reclaim joy.
Brannigan’s writing is clear, compelling, and impossible to put down. I finished it in two sittings, and it has stayed with me ever since.
Readers who value memoirs that don’t flinch from hard truths, but ultimately deliver hope and inspiration, will find Squirrel Pie unforgettable.
Highly recommend.
July 7, 2025
This book marks the arrival of a courageous and gifted memoirist. The story she tells without sentimentality or self-pity is harrowing. The narrative she creates in the aftermath is one of grace, compassion and generosity. A compelling and inspiring must-read memoir.
July 20, 2025
“The multiverse theory says an alternate universe is created for every decision made, and sometimes I wonder about that alternate version of me and who I might have become if I’d continued to sit with Johanne and the cheerleaders instead of Carol and the fringe crew. Would alternate me graduate with honors and go to Michigan State University? Would she marry the tennis captain and have three adorable, dimpled children? Would she slide into middle age with grandchildren and handcrafted scrapbooks? I imagine alternate me would be happy. Safe and content, perhaps even bored. One thing is certain — alternate me would have bypassed the night-
mare scenario that is beginning to unfold.”
Squirrel Pie is the true story of Debbie Brannigan. Growing up in working class Michigan in the 1970s, Debbie’s lack of guidance and general teenage malaise leads her to a babysitting job that will forever chain the course of her life. It is there where sixteen year Debbie meets twenty-eight year old Mac, a shady father of two young kids who shows a lost teenaged girl some attention at just the right time.
What follows are the tumultuous years that highlight Debbie’s life with Mac, his two young kids, and eventually the birth of their daughter, Tara. Although young, Debbie knows her situation with Mac is a vicious cycle she needs to break, but being young, she also lacks the resources to break free.
In addition to detailing Debbie’s road to escaping an abusive relationship, we see how her relationship with her own family contributes to the cloudiness that shapes Debbie’s ongoing self doubt and eventual forced self reliance. When pieced together, Debbie’s story is both harrowing and heroic, and although a hard one to read, it’s also a memoir worthy of merit and magnification.
Thank you to @dartfrogbooks and @debbie_brannigan for a copy of this moving story in exchange for a fair review.
mare scenario that is beginning to unfold.”
Squirrel Pie is the true story of Debbie Brannigan. Growing up in working class Michigan in the 1970s, Debbie’s lack of guidance and general teenage malaise leads her to a babysitting job that will forever chain the course of her life. It is there where sixteen year Debbie meets twenty-eight year old Mac, a shady father of two young kids who shows a lost teenaged girl some attention at just the right time.
What follows are the tumultuous years that highlight Debbie’s life with Mac, his two young kids, and eventually the birth of their daughter, Tara. Although young, Debbie knows her situation with Mac is a vicious cycle she needs to break, but being young, she also lacks the resources to break free.
In addition to detailing Debbie’s road to escaping an abusive relationship, we see how her relationship with her own family contributes to the cloudiness that shapes Debbie’s ongoing self doubt and eventual forced self reliance. When pieced together, Debbie’s story is both harrowing and heroic, and although a hard one to read, it’s also a memoir worthy of merit and magnification.
Thank you to @dartfrogbooks and @debbie_brannigan for a copy of this moving story in exchange for a fair review.
July 17, 2025
Riveting! I couldn’t help rooting for this girl.
Amazing story, an easy read, such a talented and resilient person. I can thoroughly recommend this authors amazing first novel
Amazing story, an easy read, such a talented and resilient person. I can thoroughly recommend this authors amazing first novel
May 26, 2026
I love an intense memoir and this one hit the spot. The experiences the author endured are incredibly heartbreaking and difficult to read at times (be aware), but her resilience and strength shone through. It was both devastating and deeply inspiring.
February 22, 2026
Good for a first time writer. Interesting memoir of someone who lived local in MI
September 1, 2025
Wow. This is an emotional memoir filled with courage, resilience, and a desire to become more than the circumstances. It's incredibly sad, disheartening, and infuriating, but also filled with hope.
I couldn't help but scream a little on the inside for the child that never got to be a child, but also didn't know how to be an adult, and all the ways the adults around her failed to see what was happening. It almost seemed like the girl inside her didn't know how to do anything about her situation except to keep on living and trying to move forward with a determination that is daunting for a lot of adults. I just wanted to hug her and tell her she was brave and beautiful and it would be worth it.
Though hard to read at times, I feel like the message in this book is also necessary, especially in the world we live in today that isn't all that different from the world she grew up in. We need to do more to help those in need and especially those that can't help themselves. Sometimes a helping hand can make all the difference even if it's just to say I see you and you're worth it.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't help but scream a little on the inside for the child that never got to be a child, but also didn't know how to be an adult, and all the ways the adults around her failed to see what was happening. It almost seemed like the girl inside her didn't know how to do anything about her situation except to keep on living and trying to move forward with a determination that is daunting for a lot of adults. I just wanted to hug her and tell her she was brave and beautiful and it would be worth it.
Though hard to read at times, I feel like the message in this book is also necessary, especially in the world we live in today that isn't all that different from the world she grew up in. We need to do more to help those in need and especially those that can't help themselves. Sometimes a helping hand can make all the difference even if it's just to say I see you and you're worth it.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
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July 20, 2025Wow, what a powerful and impactful memoir this story is. Deborah’s story is incredibly raw and filled with resilience, courage, and healing.
Deborah recounts many traumas throughout her life and all of the things she has overcome to get where she is today. I couldn’t put this story down as I watched the history of Deborah’s life unfold on these pages. Heart-wrenching for sure, difficult to read… but incredibly well written and so much more than just a memoir.
If you are a memoir reader then this one is a must. I highly recommend it!
Be aware of many content warnings for this one… a lot of abuse, traumas, graphic descriptions and accounts.
*No rating for nonfiction.
Deborah recounts many traumas throughout her life and all of the things she has overcome to get where she is today. I couldn’t put this story down as I watched the history of Deborah’s life unfold on these pages. Heart-wrenching for sure, difficult to read… but incredibly well written and so much more than just a memoir.
If you are a memoir reader then this one is a must. I highly recommend it!
Be aware of many content warnings for this one… a lot of abuse, traumas, graphic descriptions and accounts.
*No rating for nonfiction.
July 25, 2025
I couldn’t put this memoir down. The writing was captivating and the story was one of heartbreak, vulnerability but also inspiration. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it!
May 6, 2026
I wanted to shake her!
You know the writing is powerful when the author makes you want to grab the main character by the shoulders and shake her. Especially when it's a memoir and your author is writing about their younger self.
It's an honest, almost to a fault, documentation of a complicated young woman. It reminds us why we shouldn't makes big decisions until our brains are fully developed, ha.
But also how things like this don't just happen. 16 year olds don't just leave home with their parents blessing to live with a much older man and leave school. It's parents that would allow that, that are the problem.
However, that isn't what the book is about. It's about how you take the roadkill handed to you in life and make pie out of it.
It's never too late or too impossible to change your life.
You know the writing is powerful when the author makes you want to grab the main character by the shoulders and shake her. Especially when it's a memoir and your author is writing about their younger self.
It's an honest, almost to a fault, documentation of a complicated young woman. It reminds us why we shouldn't makes big decisions until our brains are fully developed, ha.
But also how things like this don't just happen. 16 year olds don't just leave home with their parents blessing to live with a much older man and leave school. It's parents that would allow that, that are the problem.
However, that isn't what the book is about. It's about how you take the roadkill handed to you in life and make pie out of it.
It's never too late or too impossible to change your life.
March 8, 2026
If you’ve enjoyed memoirs like The Glass Castle I highly recommend Squirrel Pie. It never lost my interest for even a moment. I may not have been a teenage runaway with a baby or have been beaten by a partner but by the end of her story, as she put the threads together, I found myself weeping at the common sadness from family disjunctions, deaths, mistakes, and other failings that we all suffer as human beings as well as the satisfaction of knowing that disappointment often passes with effort.
February 10, 2026
Excellent memoir
This book was extremely well written and compelling, I was rooting for Debbie the entire time.
I was amazed that
in her writing , she was able to tell the story in words that sounded as if the experience was completely fresh in her mind.
This book was extremely well written and compelling, I was rooting for Debbie the entire time.
I was amazed that
in her writing , she was able to tell the story in words that sounded as if the experience was completely fresh in her mind.
September 23, 2025
Brilliant! So well written and a rollercoaster of a read. My heart was in my mouth and tears streaming down my face at what Debbie has gone through. I highly recommend.
March 25, 2026
Wow
I read 20-30 books a year and this has to be my favorite one this year. Easy to read. I couldn't out of down.
I read 20-30 books a year and this has to be my favorite one this year. Easy to read. I couldn't out of down.
April 11, 2026
Quite possibly the best memoir i’ve ever read, wow.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews