“Dramatic, engrossing, and a must-read. That’s The Keening! Pinard’s latest – and first in a series – takes you to a rapidly changing Scotland and into the lives of the MacLean family. Her vivid depictions of life and landscape on the Isle of Mull and in urbanizing and industrializing Scotland allow you to be swept away by her story. You can close your eyes and imagine you’re there, sharing in the challenges of a crofter family; struggling with them to protect their land, livelihoods, and dreams; lamenting the disappointments & celebrating the victories, however large or small. Pinard’s characters come alive, and you find yourself rooting for the family, waiting in suspense to see what fresh trials and new beginnings life will bring. The Keening is an exciting, emotional, and captivating story that leaves you wanting more.” –Amazon reviewer

A family torn apart by the effects of war must now deal with the trickle-down effects of peace: the collapse of the kelp industry on which they depend. Sheila McLean worries about her children getting ahead in the rapidly industrializing world of 1822, while her second husband Gillan is never quite sure about his ability to replace the father of her children. Neil, the firstborn son at sixteen, must put duty before his own hopes and dreams, but what about when love enters his life? Muirne, younger than Neil by a year, can no longer count on a dependable future in her own parish, and wants to find a way to contribute to her family’s safety, too. But is marriage the only way to do it? Little ones Sheena and Alisdair are swept along with the tides of change as the McLeans flee their home in search of peace and security. But where will they find a new place to call home?

When will the keening end, and their new lives begin?