After the Flood

Myra and her seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, live on a small boat called the Bird, fishing the open water that now covers most of North America. A little more than a century from now, rising floods have swallowed the coastal cities and then the heartland. Only mountaintop colonies remain, and Myra visits them just to trade for supplies and information.

Seven years ago, a huge deluge hit the family home in Nebraska, and Myra's oldest daughter, Row, was taken by her own father. Now Myra learns that Row was last seen at an encampment near the Arctic Circle. Against her own instincts for caution, she sets course north through icy seas with Pearl beside her, hoping Row is still there.

Along the way, the two team up with other travellers who want to build a safe settlement together. Secrets, desire and betrayal begin to eat at that plan. After a violent turn, Myra has to weigh the hunt for Row against the safety of Pearl and the friends they have made.

This is a far-future climate catastrophe novel built around a mother's search. It is a post-apocalyptic adventure on the water, with a hard edge, some bloodshed and a steady sense of danger. It was named a Chicago Tribune Best Book of the Year.