Fruit Pickers: A Novel

NATIONAL BESTSELLER 2023 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize Winner Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction

A stunning debut about love, race, brutality, and the balm of forgiveness, "The Berry Pickers" is a riveting novel that delves into the disappearance of a four-year-old Mi'kmaq girl from the blueberry fields of Maine, an event that will haunt the survivors, unravel a family, and remain unsolved for nearly fifty years.

In July 1962, a Mi'kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, their youngest child, four-year-old Ruthie, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister's disappearance for years to come.

Concurrently, in Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination, Norma slowly comes to realize that her parents are hiding a family secret. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover the truth.

For readers of "The Vanishing Half" and "Woman of Light," "The Berry Pickers" is a showstopping debut by a vibrant new voice in fiction. The novel is a harrowing tale of Indigenous family separation, with the author excelling in writing characters for whom readers can't help rooting. Peters takes on the monumental task of giving witness to people who suffered through racist attempts of erasure, like her Mi'kmaw ancestors.

The narrative seamlessly transitions between the stories of Joe, haunted by the disappearance of his sister, and Norma, driven by her desire to uncover her family's secrets. The author's masterful storytelling weaves together themes of love, race, brutality, and the healing power of forgiveness, creating a richly layered and deeply compelling work of fiction.

In the end, "The Berry Pickers" is a poignant exploration of the lasting impact of trauma, the complexities of identity, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. It is a must-read for those who appreciate literary fiction that tackles important social and historical issues with empathy, nuance, and a deep understanding of the human condition.

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