Can a mother who vanished mysteriously ever be found? Can a daughter ever be whole if she doesn't know the truth? For fifty-five years, the author of this book denied all memories of her mother, who died when she was nine-until she was compelled to hunt for her, inch by inch, lead by lead, through the precarious precincts of the past, confronting not only the remnants of her mother's life but her own troubled childhood and the year 1946, one mired in unfeeling attitudes toward mental illness, rape, abortion, and the victimization of women. Combining fact, fantasy, and love, the author brings her mother and her era back to life in a strong story that will resonate with every mother, every daughter, every human being.