Daisy Chain: An Achingly Beautiful Story of Guilt, Redemption, and Hope

by Mary E. DeMuth

Publisher:

Zondervan

, 2009

Overview

Mary DeMuth, an acclaimed author and advocate who has been featured in Christianity Today, CNN, and The Washington Post, brings a uniquely empathetic voice to her storytelling. In Daisy Chain, DeMuth draws on her understanding of brokenness and redemption to craft an achingly beautiful coming-of-age story that delves into human frailty and God's surprising redemption.

The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance from a small Texas town in 1973 spins three lives out of control--Jed, whose guilt over not protecting his friend Daisy strangles him; Emory Chance, who blames her own choices for her daughter's demise; and Ouisie Pepper, who is plagued by headaches while pierced by the shattered pieces of a family in crisis.

In this first book in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy, fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper has a sickening secret: He's convinced it's his fault his best friend Daisy went missing. Jed's pain sends him on a quest for answers to mysteries woven through the fabric of his own life and the lives of the families of Defiance, Texas. When he finally confronts the terrible truths he's been denying all his life, Jed must choose between rebellion and love, anger and freedom.

Daisy Chain is "a coming-of-age novel in the classic Southern gothic tradition," praised for its "complex relationships, skilled prose, and depiction of God's redemption in difficult times" (Library Journal). Perfect for fans of The Little Friend by Donna Tartt, this haunting yet hopeful novel invites readers to wrestle with life's hardest questions while discovering the beauty of grace.

Step into the world of Defiance, Texas, where secrets fester, redemption waits, and every choice carries the weight of eternity. Start Daisy Chain today and experience a story that will linger in your heart long after the last page.

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Praise for Daisy Chain

Daisy Chain is a hauntingly beautiful novel in which innocence gives way to the unspeakable one awful summer in Defiance, Texas. Mary DeMuth's storytelling has never been stronger, nor the stakes more desperate. This is one story that will linger long, long after the last page is read. -- Sharon K. Souza

Daisy Chain is a spell-binding, beautifully mysterious masterwork of a story that will both frighten and comfort, break your heart and mend it again. Mary DeMuth is one of our very best authors, and you will savor this novel from the first page to the last. -- Kathleen Popa

Daisy Chain, the first book in the “Defiance Texas Trilogy,” is a powerful story of friendship, family secrets, and the presence and love of God in the darkest of places and through the darkest of days. Readers should be advised to clear space on their bookshelves for this emotion-packed story. -- Tamara Leigh

Every now and then a book comes along that weaves its way into your soul and takes up residence. Daisy Chain is such a book. Heartbreaking. Hopeful. And peopled with unforgettable characters--Jed, Hixon, Bald Muriel, and the irrepressible Daisy--who wind their way into your heart and won't let go. Reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, this book will leave a lasting mark on your heart and soul. Thank you, Mary DeMuth, for writing it. -- Laura Jensen Walker

Mary DeMuth has written yet another lyrical tale of haunting secrets and lavish redemption. Daisy Chain is sure to steal your heart and take your breath away. -- Claudia Mair Burney

Mary Demuth's latest novel, Daisy Chain, is a deeply moving tale of love and loss, hope and heartache. Richly drawn characters and a starkly believable southern setting paint a landscape that this reader will not soon forget. Highly recommended. -- Annette Smith

Mary DeMuth’s artistic flair for the sublime and the subtle shines in Daisy Chain. Painfully poignant and realistically redemptive, this is a story to savor and ponder. -- Susan Meissner

Mary Demuth’s beautiful, lyric style of writing will capture you and draw you into this compelling story of hope and grief, of innocence lost, and redemption found, even in the midst of suffering. Jed’s journey will linger in a reader’s heart, long after his story is over. Daisy Chain is another brilliant masterpiece by one of my favorite authors. -- Susan May Warren

Within a few paragraphs of Daisy Chain I found myself letting out a contented sigh. The story captured my attention from the first page, but more than that the writing has a melody to it. If words can lull one into a story, these did. Reminiscent of Peace Like a River only different, better. -- Tricia Goyer

Daisy Chain grabbed my heart immediately, broke it with Jed's struggles, and healed it with the touch of Grace in his broken world. Mary DeMuth has penned a compelling tale that kept me turning pages until the surprising, yet satisfying, conclusion. I can hardly wait for the next installment from Defiance. -- Janelle Clare Schneider, Author

Product Details

• Title : Daisy Chain: A Novel
• Author: DeMuth, Mary E
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Publication Date: 2009
• ISBN: 9780310561156

About Mary E. DeMuth

Mary DeMuth is a writer and speaker who loves to help people live re-storied lives. Author of more than 30 Christian living books. Mary speaks around the country and the world and is the host of the popular daily podcast Pray Every Day, where she prays for you every day of the year. She is the wife of Patrick and the mom of three adult children, currently living in Texas.

MaryDeMuth.com