Vacationland: A Novel

Louisa arrives at her parents' house in Maine for the summer with her three children, an unfinished manuscript facing a deadline, and deep resentment about her life choices. She hopes the setting will help her find peace and renewed focus on her family and writing. However, complications emerge. Louisa's father, a retired judge and respected community figure, is dealing with Alzheimer's. Her mother oscillates between denial and acknowledgment of the situation. When one of Louisa's children discovers a cryptic, emotional letter, it raises questions about something Louisa believes her father could not have done. Meanwhile, Kristie arrives in Maine by Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania with $761 and significant emotional baggage. She is fleeing her past, working through a secret, and navigating a new relationship with an unexpectedly kind partner. As the summer progresses from June through August, hidden truths surface and betrayals emerge. Both Louisa and Kristie confront questions about what they are owed and what they owe to others.