The Oystercatcher of Southwark

<p><strong>Philadelphia 1897</strong>-On the shores of the Delaware River Italian Catholic Mary Paragano dreams of a happily ever after. However when she defies her family and runs away to marry Jakob a Jewish boy her fairy tale takes an unexpected turn. Disowned by her father abandoned by Jakob and pursued by a jealous gangster Mary's life spirals into tragedy culminating in accusations of attempting to harm her own children and a harrowing end in an asylum. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>Philadelphia present-day</strong>-Bella Mary's great-great-granddaughter grapples with the aftermath of her recent divorce. Amidst her pain a mysterious stranger named Sophie enters her life claiming to be related to Jakob the man who left Mary to her devastating fate over a century ago. Together Bella and Sophie unravel the layers of Mary's haunting past question the stories they've been told and uncover the impact of these historical secrets on their modern-day lives. Based on the remarkable true story of the author's great-great-grandmother <em>The Oystercatcher of Southwark</em> takes readers on a poignant journey through the immigrant neighborhoods of South Philadelphia. This deftly-woven novel explores the profound love of a mother for her children and the redemptive hope that transcends time.</p>