Events in Dalton are coming to a head, as a record-breaking storm rolls in…

For a while, Rose Douglas believed life had given her a break. She was enjoying a steady job at the local clinic in Dalton; her two young boys, Adam and Brandon, were doing well in school; and their little family had found an easy friendship with widower Nate Theroux and his daughter, Sophie. The possibility of something deeper even hung between her and Nate—until the day Tommy Merchant, her ex and the father of her sons, showed up without warning on her doorstep. While Rose knows all too well his erratic and abusive nature, he swears he’s clean, and ready to turn over a new leaf.

Tommy isn’t the only one who’s found his way back to the town that defined him. Lost after a disastrous stint living down south with her father, Angela Muse has returned home to Dalton. There she runs into Greg Fortin, the friend who once saved her life when they were children and finally starts to believe there may be someone who understands her in a world that offers more questions than answers.

But secrets are the lifeblood of a small town, and everyone in Dalton soon finds themselves part of a chain of events hurtling towards outcomes beyond their control, where more than one future will be decided.

In a Distant Valley is the third, excellent novel in Shannon Bowring’s Dalton novels — following The Road to Dalton and Where the Forest Meets the River. It forms the end of a trilogy, of sorts, as the various characters are maneuvered into new situations and down new paths. I really enjoyed this.As was true for the first two novels in the series, all of the featured characters are very well-drawn, complete people. The story jumps forward a bit, but the residents of Dalton continue to grapple with various struggles and life events — be they professional, romantic, or existential. Bowring writes about each of them with plenty of compassion; even Tommy, who has long been an antagonist for Nate, and a tormentor of his ex-wife, Rose.

The shared story of Nate, Rose, and Tommy felt like it took up the bulk of this novel, and it was nice to see Tommy rounded out a bit more than in the past novels. Other characters we’ve met in previous books aren’t neglected, though. Greg (one of my favourite characters) is back from college, and he once again seeks out Angela, and their story grows and deepens in a satisfying manner — albeit with a dangerous detour along the way. Characters are presented with second chances, professionally and romantically; and also confronted by long-held, uncomfortable secrets that threaten to upend various ties that have kept the community together for years. For some, it’s a case that no matter how much you may want to flee from your small hometown, it is inescapable that your life and experiences there will have left an indelible imprint on your character and life. It is also a novel that shows how communicating honestly with your loved ones, while a source of anxiety or even dread, can also lead people to surprise you and deepen your connection with them.

Overall, In a Distant Valley is another fantastic novel from Bowring, bringing a superb series to a satisfying close. (Although, hopefully not entirely — I’ll miss these characters.) I can’t wait to read Bowring’s next book, whatever it may be. Definitely recommended.

*

Shannon Bowring’s In a Distant Valley is due to be published by Europa Editions in North America and in the UK, on October 7th.

Also on CR: Reviews of The Road to Dalton and Where the Forest Meets the River

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Review copy received from publisher