The Song of the Magpie

A tale of resilience and redemption. Caitlin Blackwell's life has been shaped by the whims of men-the cruel landlord who evicted her family when she was a child; the dirty grinders who bought her favors in the alleyways of Cork; and the uncaring husband who was forced upon her when she arrived as a convict in Australia twenty years ago. But at last, she's a widow. She's inherited a farm of her own, and she's determined to seize control of her destiny. There's only one thing stopping her from becoming the prosperous, independent woman she's always dreamed she could be: she's illiterate. Enter Michael Dunn, a man haunted with guilt. After six months of hell and hard labor at Moreton Bay penal colony-for a crime he should have known better than to commit-he's more than haunted. He's broken. Empty. A shell of a man. But somehow, he's given another chance. A glimmer of hope in an unexpected assignment to teach an Irish widow to read. As Caitlin and Michael's new life blooms amidst the vast Australian landscape, they uncover a secret that threatens to snatch away everything they hold dear. Can they face the demons of their pasts and embrace an uncertain future?