The ghosts of Beatrice Bird

Morgan's superbly written historical novel set during the 1960s and 1970s offers a touch of the paranormal, complex and relatable characters, and resonant issues of abuse and control in a satisfying and highly relevant read. Beatrice has always seen ghosts. Now a psychologist working in Haight-Ashbury, she is surprised when one of her patients becomes healthier after taking LSD. Curious, she tries a dose and can suddenly see ephemeral shapes and colors surrounding a young patient. This vision helps her diagnose the problem, but it haunts her. A second dose makes her life unbearable as she sees the ominous shades attached to almost everyone around her, wreaking havoc on her relationship with her partner and her own mental health. Fearing psychosis, Beatrice flees San Francisco for a tiny house on a rural island accessible only by a ferry run by the nuns at a convent. In a distant city, Anne, a beautiful young woman, is courted by a wealthy man her parents convince her to marry. She soon has a son, but her husband is a tyrant. Anne also seeks shelter on the island. At once surprising, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this may be Morgan's most compelling book yet.

With suspense, sympathy, and pathos, Morgan (A Secret History of Witches) illuminates the pain of abuse and the path toward healing. In 1977 Anne Iredale flees her abusive husband, James, a sadistic Boston judge who recently used his power to have Anne declared an unfit mother to their five-year-old son. A devout Catholic, Anne hopes to join Mother Maggie's monastery on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest. Unable to accommodate her, Mother Maggie suggests she stay instead with Beatrice Bird, the island's newest and most reclusive resident. A former San Francisco psychologist, Beatrice sees ghosts--or more accurately, the manifestations or imprints of personal demons that attach themselves to troubled souls. Hovering around Anne, Beatrice sees the dark ghost of James, the frightened ghost of their child, and a mysterious third specter that reeks of death. The story unfolds slowly and methodically, toggling between Anne's and Beatrice's perspectives, to reveal domestic trauma (including often graphic scenes of abuse), the generational subjugation of women, and the hopeful promise of female solidarity and the broader women's liberation movement. Morgan's fans will welcome these empathetic heroines fighting for independence. Agent: Peter Rubie, FinePrint Literary Management. (Nov.)