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The Hour of the Fox
From the bestselling author of The Piano Maker comes a stunning, profoundly moving story about motherhood, grief, marriage, and friendship. For fans of M. L. Stedman's The Light Between Oceans .
Margaret Bradley is the most senior associate at a prestigious law firm, and she is on track to make partner. It is the 1970s; her climb up the career ladder in this male-dominated profession has been difficult, but with hard work she has made herself one of the best in it. She is dedicated to her work and is happily married until one day her entire world is shattered by the sudden death of her son Andrew, a military pilot. Now, Margaret lives with a heavy, all-encompassing sense of loss and regret that is pushing her further and further away from the person she once knew herself to be, and from her husband, Jack, a successful geologist and a loving and loyal partner.
Consumed by her sorrows Margaret is drawn back to the family summer home in Sweetbarry, a small town off the coast of the North Atlantic, where she spent much of her childhood. Her lifelong best friend, Aileen, is close by. When Aileen's adult son, Danny, is questioned by local police in connection with a violent crime that shocks the community, Margaret provides legal and moral support. And it is while doing so that an opportunity presents itself for her to confront her sorrow. She sees "a door opening. A way forward," and she boldly reaches out with an act of courage and humility that has profound consequences.
Set against the backdrops of the rugged Atlantic coast, Toronto, and Paris, The Hour of the Fox is emotionally resonant, atmospheric, and unforgettable in its depiction of motherhood and loss.
Margaret Bradley is the most senior associate at a prestigious law firm, and she is on track to make partner. It is the 1970s; her climb up the career ladder in this male-dominated profession has been difficult, but with hard work she has made herself one of the best in it. She is dedicated to her work and is happily married until one day her entire world is shattered by the sudden death of her son Andrew, a military pilot. Now, Margaret lives with a heavy, all-encompassing sense of loss and regret that is pushing her further and further away from the person she once knew herself to be, and from her husband, Jack, a successful geologist and a loving and loyal partner.
Consumed by her sorrows Margaret is drawn back to the family summer home in Sweetbarry, a small town off the coast of the North Atlantic, where she spent much of her childhood. Her lifelong best friend, Aileen, is close by. When Aileen's adult son, Danny, is questioned by local police in connection with a violent crime that shocks the community, Margaret provides legal and moral support. And it is while doing so that an opportunity presents itself for her to confront her sorrow. She sees "a door opening. A way forward," and she boldly reaches out with an act of courage and humility that has profound consequences.
Set against the backdrops of the rugged Atlantic coast, Toronto, and Paris, The Hour of the Fox is emotionally resonant, atmospheric, and unforgettable in its depiction of motherhood and loss.
304 pages, Paperback
Published July 31, 2018
17 people are currently reading
1370 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
April 13, 2019
The Hour of the Fox is a quiet novel about a woman's grief after the loss of her son. So quiet, in fact, that I fell asleep last night about ten pages from the ending!
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September 13, 2019
I enjoyed this... it was a quick read and I was in need of that. My last book seemed to take forever to finish. I liked that this book didn’t have any tidy solutions or the crime wasn’t resolved with a nice bow. Even the setting was messy, while I know the area described, I couldn’t pin down an exact location. This was a quiet read looking at grief and community and a lovely read. Perhaps 3.5 stars.
November 9, 2018
Almost a five - a sad but hopeful book that I quite enjoyed reading. Written well with realistic, sympathetic characters. Margaret is a smart struggling woman who works to come to terms with her grief. Location is beautifully described. I am trying other Palka books.
January 2, 2020
This book was an easy read, detailing the struggles of a woman who had lost her only son when he had been on a peacekeeping mission. As she dealt with her own demons, she provided legal advice in a murder investigation, remembered her own past and weathered a Nova Scotia storm.
The book was enjoyable but paled in comparison to The Piano Maker. It needed to focus on one story line and seemed a bit scattered as I might have liked to have known more about her teenage life which was just a bit of a mention at random times.
The book was enjoyable but paled in comparison to The Piano Maker. It needed to focus on one story line and seemed a bit scattered as I might have liked to have known more about her teenage life which was just a bit of a mention at random times.
August 8, 2018
Margaret Bradley is the most senior associate at a prestigious law firm, and she is on track to make partner. It is the 1970s; her climb up the career ladder in this male-dominated profession has been difficult, but with hard work she has made herself one of the best in it. She is dedicated to her work and is happily married until one day her entire world is shattered by the sudden death of her son Andrew, a military pilot. Now, Margaret lives with a heavy, all-encompassing sense of loss and regret that is pushing her further and further away from the person she once knew herself to be, and from her husband, Jack, a successful geologist and a loving and loyal partner.
Consumed by her sorrows, Margaret is drawn back to the family summer home in Sweetbarry, a small town off the coast of the North Atlantic, where she spent much of her childhood. Her life-long best friend, Aileen, is close by. When Aileen's adult son, Danny, is questioned by local police in connection with a violent crime that shocks the community, Margaret provides legal and moral support. And it is while doing so that an opportunity presents itself for her to confront her sorrow. She sees "a door opening. A way forward," and she boldly reaches out with an act of courage and humility that has profound consequences.
Funny, now having typed out the blurb on the inside cover of the book describing the story, I see that it's not exactly a truthful description. For one thing, when the story starts, Margaret's son, Andrew, has already died. She's already grieving and her marriage is starting to crumble because of her self-isolation from her husband. He's trying but she's not responding.
The story is told entirely from Margaret's point of view. She gives a good background of her life but not much about her marriage. Not much about her son either. She's a very self-absorbed woman and not exactly likeable to me. It's a quiet story with not much action. It's more of a day to day life of someone over a period of weeks or months with memories thrown in.
Not a bad book. I liked it but I didn't "really" like it. I would recommend it. One of the reasons I liked it was that a lot of it was set in Nova Scotia, the province next to the one I live in so it was familiar ground.
Consumed by her sorrows, Margaret is drawn back to the family summer home in Sweetbarry, a small town off the coast of the North Atlantic, where she spent much of her childhood. Her life-long best friend, Aileen, is close by. When Aileen's adult son, Danny, is questioned by local police in connection with a violent crime that shocks the community, Margaret provides legal and moral support. And it is while doing so that an opportunity presents itself for her to confront her sorrow. She sees "a door opening. A way forward," and she boldly reaches out with an act of courage and humility that has profound consequences.
Funny, now having typed out the blurb on the inside cover of the book describing the story, I see that it's not exactly a truthful description. For one thing, when the story starts, Margaret's son, Andrew, has already died. She's already grieving and her marriage is starting to crumble because of her self-isolation from her husband. He's trying but she's not responding.
The story is told entirely from Margaret's point of view. She gives a good background of her life but not much about her marriage. Not much about her son either. She's a very self-absorbed woman and not exactly likeable to me. It's a quiet story with not much action. It's more of a day to day life of someone over a period of weeks or months with memories thrown in.
Not a bad book. I liked it but I didn't "really" like it. I would recommend it. One of the reasons I liked it was that a lot of it was set in Nova Scotia, the province next to the one I live in so it was familiar ground.
September 7, 2018
Loved all the references to Nova Scotia. This novel did not develop in a direction that I expected. Still, this character-based story was a book of healing for anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one.
April 30, 2019
I quite liked this story mainly because it seemed so simple and straightforward and yet it packed a punch. This essentially is the tale of a successful woman hobbled,temporarily as it turns out, by grief. Margaret Bradley has worked extremely hard all her life and has become a successful corporate lawyer. She has a good mariage and a loving relationship with her only son Andrew. But when her boy is killed on a peacekeeping mission in Latin America during the turbulent 70's, she is devastated and lost. Even worse her son's death reminds her constantly of an earlier loss suffered when she was very young. Then a series of disturbing events in Nova Scotia bring her back to her childhood home and help her begin to accept her son's death. The only criticism I had of this book was that maybe its style was a little too simple and that at times,it lacked colour and detail. But mainly the story was effective. I did feel the author didn't quite get the Maritime culture either and yes, I can say that as I am an ex-East Coast girl. But on the whole the effort was worthy.
January 8, 2022
4.5 stars.
A quiet book that tells a very different mystery storyline than I'm used to. It wasn't as high stakes and dangerous as most murder plots are. And it was a background plot that helped with insights into the characters personalities.
A quiet book that tells a very different mystery storyline than I'm used to. It wasn't as high stakes and dangerous as most murder plots are. And it was a background plot that helped with insights into the characters personalities.
September 2, 2024
Slow burn of a woman learning to deal with her grief, all came together at the end.
September 10, 2018
Loved all the references to Canadian places. Light in the plot section. Started off well but last third of book didn’t come together and left this reader just basically satisfied.
March 13, 2023
A friend loaned me this book to read and it is the first one I've read by this author and a little outside my typical genre. I read it in the space of afternoon and evening and knew from the first few pages that it was filled with deep sadness.
I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a much loved child and yet Margaret Bradley lost her son who was killed on a peacekeeping mission and was struggling both physically and mentally as a result. Her relationship with her husband was awkward as is often the case after such a loss, and when a long time friend calls and asks for help on a legal situation developing in regard to her son, Margaret flies out on short notice. Over time she leaves and returns and the reader is given insight into her past and how it affects her grieving and her motivations.
Ultimately, Margaret's return to a place of her childhood and willingness to share suffering with others allows a sense of release and hope that each day will bring something to be glad about. There is symbolism in this book. I'm not sure I totally grasped it all but I'm not sorry that I read it. Hankies were used.
I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a much loved child and yet Margaret Bradley lost her son who was killed on a peacekeeping mission and was struggling both physically and mentally as a result. Her relationship with her husband was awkward as is often the case after such a loss, and when a long time friend calls and asks for help on a legal situation developing in regard to her son, Margaret flies out on short notice. Over time she leaves and returns and the reader is given insight into her past and how it affects her grieving and her motivations.
Ultimately, Margaret's return to a place of her childhood and willingness to share suffering with others allows a sense of release and hope that each day will bring something to be glad about. There is symbolism in this book. I'm not sure I totally grasped it all but I'm not sorry that I read it. Hankies were used.
November 17, 2018
Read for book club.
Margaret is mourning the death of her (adult) son, and pushing her husband away. Her old friend Aileen's son Danny might be in trouble with the police and so Margaret rushes to their aid.
This was set in the 1970s, according to the blurb, although this was not really made explicit in the text. Margaret has persisted in her career as a lawyer even while raising a child, although this is all in the past when the story begins. I liked Margaret's husband Jack very much (much more than I liked Margaret). Aileen I found mercurial and a poor friend. Margaret herself made odd choices - perhaps these were supposed to be symptoms of her grieving. Much was made of her teenage years, and yet at the same time, there was no examination of their possible effect on her present grief.
In a similar way, the circumstances Danny is potentially involved in are dramatic, and yet nothing much happens; it is all off the page. And what was all that about the fox?
Margaret is mourning the death of her (adult) son, and pushing her husband away. Her old friend Aileen's son Danny might be in trouble with the police and so Margaret rushes to their aid.
This was set in the 1970s, according to the blurb, although this was not really made explicit in the text. Margaret has persisted in her career as a lawyer even while raising a child, although this is all in the past when the story begins. I liked Margaret's husband Jack very much (much more than I liked Margaret). Aileen I found mercurial and a poor friend. Margaret herself made odd choices - perhaps these were supposed to be symptoms of her grieving. Much was made of her teenage years, and yet at the same time, there was no examination of their possible effect on her present grief.
In a similar way, the circumstances Danny is potentially involved in are dramatic, and yet nothing much happens; it is all off the page. And what was all that about the fox?
April 13, 2019
This is his 7th book, and I have not seen his name before, or not to notice. I ran across this book in a display at Shoppers Drug Mart, noted the title name and author, looked it up at home and decided it was worth buying (though I used points). I wondered about the time frame as some things give hints that it is not current: *sending telexes*, *pen bunions on middle finger*, *flying on CP Air*, but I had to look up the specifics of the war mentioned - and this was it in 1964 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Et... However, I am puzzled as the publisher information says the book takes place *in the late 1970s* which fits with everything but the war (but this is fiction, so perhaps that was changed). I found the writing style and story very moving (tissues needed) and look forward to reading his other novels. Two others are at my library branch (I thought 3 but 2 are same book, different titles). <
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May 31, 2020
More like 3.5 stars! This is a lovely quiet book about a woman dealing with her grief over the loss of her son in a peace-keeping mission! There’s a side story involving her best friend’s son; was he involved in a mysterious death of some strangers? I also loved the talk of the area surrounding the Nova Scotia seaside cottage. I think that the reference to Margaret’s past was another hint of grief and loss she needed to deal with! Im not sure though, what the hour of the fox title was in reference to, perhaps that’s when Margaret’s grief was the strongest as foxes are nocturnal! This book had the most spectacular cover I’ve seen in a long time! I enjoyed this book, it was a very quick and relaxing read!
August 22, 2021
The book was an interesting study on how grief can disconnect us from even those who love us deeply. I appreciated the main character’s ( Margaret) strength and perseverance in care taking her various homes. Reading about her transformation of the small cottage over a few weekends while still maintaining a high profile legal career made her seem more than a little super human. Overall the story seemed scattered and ran off in different directions with little development of those glimpses into her life. It’s not that deep a novel and definitely could have been better ‘fleshed out’ At the end I was happy that Margaret was moving forward but at that point I didn’t really care.
It’s a quick read for the summer holidays.
It’s a quick read for the summer holidays.
June 28, 2022
Another story set in Nova Scotia - the death of a beloved son who was a bomber pilot in the military. This death has affected his mother in such a way that she and her husband have become strangers...he is a mine-finder geologist and is away several weeks at a time in places all over the world.
Margaret Bradley, the mother, is a lawyer working her way into becoming a partner in a well-known office but she is having so many problems with the sense of loss and regret so hard work has become her way to cope with it...although not well.
I love Palka's writing style...the story just flows along and before I knew it the last page arrived. The library has messaged me that another Palka book is waiting for me.
Margaret Bradley, the mother, is a lawyer working her way into becoming a partner in a well-known office but she is having so many problems with the sense of loss and regret so hard work has become her way to cope with it...although not well.
I love Palka's writing style...the story just flows along and before I knew it the last page arrived. The library has messaged me that another Palka book is waiting for me.
July 14, 2025
Despite the heavy topic of this book, it was a quick read. I enjoyed reading all the references/descriptions of the Canadian settings, namely Nova Scotia. I was very curious, throughout the book, about the meaning of the fox. I figured it was something symbolic, but the author didn't explain the significance. I googled the spiritual meaning of 'the hour of the fox', and found really great descriptions. As for the plot, it was a slow burn....a woman navigating her way through grief, the loss of her son, trying to find her way back to herself and her marriage. I would give it 3.5 stars.
January 1, 2019
The Hour of the Fox was a very bland read. Palka has included some interesting passages describing the landscape and lifestyle choices of people inhabiting Sweetbarry, Nova Scotia, but somewhere along the plot line, we lose the poignancy of Margaret's grief and begin to follow her healing journey through her implausible role as detective....implausible transformation from big city corporate lawyer to amateur sleuth in a small community.
June 23, 2023
Margaret is a lawyer on track to becoming a partner. However when her son dies piloting a plane in a military conflict, Margaret cannot seem to move on from this tragedy. She seeks space away from her husband and their marriage is in trouble. It is only when a friend from her old home town on the east coast seeks her help does she slowly heal from her sorrow.
I enjoyed "The Piano Maker" also by Palka. This novel has much less of a story to it in comparison. While still interesting, there is not the depth nor history there was in "The Piano Maker". Palka writes from a woman's perspective in his books. As a male reader, my opinion is he does this well. Perhaps, though, that is best judged by woman readers.
I enjoyed "The Piano Maker" also by Palka. This novel has much less of a story to it in comparison. While still interesting, there is not the depth nor history there was in "The Piano Maker". Palka writes from a woman's perspective in his books. As a male reader, my opinion is he does this well. Perhaps, though, that is best judged by woman readers.
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October 2, 2023I tried to like this quiet book about a woman, who practices law, and is thrown into the depths of grief when her adult son dies. Most of it takes place on the south shore of Nova Scotia, so there’s that, but. No. Just couldn’t get into the story. It felt dull and boring like being in a big church service when you were a kid and you wanted to appreciate the beauty but really you just wanted it to be over. So you could go home and watch cartoons.
May 29, 2024
4.5 Stars
Margaret was the type of character who I wish I knew. She is strong, bright, ahead of her time, and yet vulnerable and so very human. The story was beautiful and a pleasure to read. The writing was lyrical and the interactions felt very real. It was the subtle observations, the imagery, and the symbolism that I admired and the gentle storylines so nicely woven together that kept me engaged. Thank you, book club leader.
Margaret was the type of character who I wish I knew. She is strong, bright, ahead of her time, and yet vulnerable and so very human. The story was beautiful and a pleasure to read. The writing was lyrical and the interactions felt very real. It was the subtle observations, the imagery, and the symbolism that I admired and the gentle storylines so nicely woven together that kept me engaged. Thank you, book club leader.
January 1, 2025
i have been trying to finish this book since 2020, and today i decided i to speed through this damn book to finish my reading goal in time; and i’m happy to say i finished it with 15 seconds left before the clock struck 12.
however, the book was terrible. the author used very short sentences with poor grammar, and when he described things it was usually lengthy sentences with no periods or apostrophes.
it was a very cozy book, and i loved the first 50%. but it just got boring and repetitive.
however, the book was terrible. the author used very short sentences with poor grammar, and when he described things it was usually lengthy sentences with no periods or apostrophes.
it was a very cozy book, and i loved the first 50%. but it just got boring and repetitive.
October 2, 2018
This is the third book I've read by this author. I like his writing; very simple and calming. This was a very easy, character-driven, read, not really much of a plot, but the writing is superb and Palka is able to create such a wonderful mood/feeling for place. (which is the east coast of Canada .. Nova Scotia).
October 15, 2018
Kurt Palka is a great writer and i've enjoyed his books in the past, but this one ... there just didn't seem to be a point to it. It was really very bland. Not even the tiniest bit of excitement anywhere to be found. Just blah. I kept wondering when it was going to improve - when something interesting would happen. But it didn't. I'm really quite disappointed.
March 9, 2019
This was an interesting story and an easy read. I was disappointed that the author did not resolve the murders of the boy and girl. Also, it seems odd to me that he did not explore what happened to Margaret’s first child that she had to give up for adoption. A lot of loose ends remain in this story. Perhaps this opens more doors for another book down the road.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2020
This book is about a mom's recovery from her son's death while in the military. Not an uplifting book to read during the holidays. However, it was extremely comforting in it's own way. This book also includes a murder, family relationships, changing marriage relationships, & a driven successful lawyer who actively deals with family/career conflicts!!!
February 22, 2021
Margaret's pain drew me into the story. Her way of moving through her sorrow was well supported by her life experience. Her return to her childhood home to help her dearest friend adds layers to the story which all become interwoven as the story progresses. It's a moving story with characters you care about and a place you wish you could visit.
February 15, 2024
A quick read about a friendship between Margaret and Aileen, one grieving her son's death and the other concerned about her son's possible involvement in a murder. While all of this is going on in a small town off the coast of the North Atlantic, where Aileen lives, and Margaret has a cottage with a boathouse, a fox slinks by with her cubs on a nightly basis.
November 5, 2025
I wanted to like this novel but what do you mean a man could never understand the loss of a son? That he exists solely as part of the life versus what a mother feels? A man is just as much involved and invested in his own flesh and blood. I had hoped it would get better towards the end, but all I read is this resentment and it just turns this book toxic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2018
An incredibly quiet book about grief and learning to live with it. It reminded me of that little non- fiction book by C. S. Lewis called A Grief Observed. Not as compelling as The Piano Maker but the characters are equally well drawn.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews