A Horse Brought Us Here: A Novel

Perfect for fans of Margot Livesey and William Maxwell’s So Long, See You Tomorrow

“Fans of literary period pieces will enjoy this novel, which offers a smooth, controlled journey through a tragic tale.� —Kirkus

“McDevitt has penned a thought-provoking literary gem in her richly researched, coming-of-age shocker…� —IndieReader

“[A] moving elegy for a time, place, and childhood itself.� —BookLife by Publisher’s Weekly

“…a book in a class all its own. Readers who enjoy historical fiction or period piece fiction will enjoy this superb novel about a tragedy that shakes a small town and changes the lives of those in it forever.� —Seattle Book Review

Excitement grows all day Friday in the quiet Wyoming cattle town of Juniper. As cheerleaders and football players ready themselves for the biggest game of 1959, the Homecoming Parade winds its way down Main Street. Everyone claps with delight when they spot Homecoming Queen BJ Bonniface in her pink strapless formal sitting high on the back of a big Buick convertible. She’s the popular girlfriend of star quarterback Rob Hitchcock and the daughter of a wealthy and influential local rancher. The longtime sweethearts continue to be the talk of the town as the home team wins the big game on Saturday. But by Monday morning, Juniper is shaken to its core when everyone learns their beloved Homecoming Queen is dead.

“Act as if nothing has changed,� the high school’s Dean of Women advises the devastated student body. Some doubt BJ died from a bee sting, as reported. Things don’t add up. Rob and BJ’s best friend Nella Fortune have private and deeply personal reasons to question the official story, but the community’s silence is deafening. Both will sleepwalk their way through the rest of senior year, consumed by what they know and cannot tell. How long can such a crushing secret be kept?

Though A Horse Brought Us Here, is a work of fiction—and the characters, places, and events depicted are products of the author’s imagination—the core event in this novel is based on a real-life occurrence. Author Dershie McDevitt invites readers to travel back in time to a seemingly idyllic American small town where life looks simple at the surface but is often much more disturbing behind closed doors. Masterfully evoking a nostalgic tapestry of a bygone era, McDevitt reminds us that though some of life’s mysteries are kept buried, they should never be forgotten.