Jim Grimsley returns to the Southern landscape evoked so powerfully in his previous award-winning novels, Winter Birds and Dream Boy, to tell an unforgettable story of a woman's search for the meaning of a dream that has haunted her throughout her life. Ever since Ellen Tote can remember, she has dreamed of her mother slowly drowning. Now, with her own children all grown and her siblings long gone, Ellen journeys back to her childhood for answers. Piecing together her memories, she finally articulates a story so shattering, it had long been silenced by fear and shame. Both heartrending and life-affirming, this compelling portrait of a brave yet tragic woman celebrates the courage and endurance of the human spirit.