The Western Light by Susan Swan

Susan Swan revisits heroine Mary "Mouse" Bradford in this prequel to her 1993 award-winning novel, The Wives of Bath. At 12, Mouse struggles with being teased by boys, her father's inattention and her confusing feelings for the new man in town — a renowned hockey player condemned to the nearby psychiatric hospital for murdering his wife and child. The book is tribute to small-town life, colder climes and Canada's official winter sport. Readers will revel in the familiar details of home coupled with a dramatic plot.

The Western Light, Susan Swan, $30.