Life After - by Katie Ganshert (Paperback)

About the Book

"An intense novel of loss, betrayal, and rising to face the ashes, Christy Award-winner Katie Ganshert's powerful contemporary fiction reminds readers that there's always a chance at new life and love...It could have been me. Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city's transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost. A year later, Autumn Manning can't remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief--by guilt. Twelve months of the question constantly echoing. Why? Why? Why? Searching for answers, she haunts the lives of the victims, unable to rest. Paul Elliott lost his wife in the train bombing and wants to let the dead rest in peace, undisturbed and unable to cause more pain for his loved ones. He wants normalcy for his twelve year-old daughter and young son, to see them move beyond the heartbreak. But when the Elliotts and Autumn are unexpectedly forced together, he fears she'll bring more wreckage in her wake. In Life After, Katie Ganshert's most complex and unforgettable novel yet, the stirring prose and authentic characters pose questions of truth, goodness, and ultimate purpose in this emotionally resonant tale"--

Book Synopsis

It could have been me.

Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city's transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost.

A year later, Autumn Manning can't remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief--by guilt. Twelve months of the question constantly echoing. Why? Why? Why? Searching for answers, she haunts the lives of the victims, unable to rest.

Paul Elliott lost his wife in the train bombing and wants to let the dead rest in peace, undisturbed and unable to cause more pain for his loved ones. He wants normalcy for his twelve-year-old daughter and young son, to see them move beyond the heartbreak. But when the Elliotts and Autumn are unexpectedly forced together, he fears she'll bring more wreckage in her wake.

In Life After, Katie Ganshert's most complex and unforgettable novel yet, the stirring prose and authentic characters pose questions of truth, goodness, and ultimate purpose in this emotionally resonant tale.

Review Quotes

"Ganshert uses masterful pacing, engaging characters, and believable dialogue to bring readers along...tackling big issues powerfully."
--Publishers Weekly Starred Review

"Another emotionally gripping page-turner from Katie Ganshert, a novelist who consistently writes with honesty and insight. Life After plumbs the depths of all that gives our existence meaning. Well done."
--Susan Meissner, award-winning author of Secrets of a Charmed Life

"Katie Ganshert is a skilled writer who wrestles earnestly with the clashing forces of faith and fear. Life After will hook you on the first page."
--Lisa Wingate, national best-selling author of Before We Were Yours

"Katie Ganshert has made her mark by writing compelling stories about resiliency and faith. In her latest, she draws us through the aftermath of trauma, examining the soul's miraculous ability to not just survive but to thrive--even in the wake of tremendous suffering. The result is an emotional journey that prompts us to question the greater purpose behind every moment we are given."
--Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of The Feathered Bone

"Life After grabbed me instantly with its brilliant prose, then immersed me in its pages with a story that went straight to my heart and refused to let go. Not that I wanted it to. Katie Ganshert has crafted a tale you will remember months after you finish. Highly recommended."
--James L. Rubart, best-selling author of The Five Times I Met Myself

"Ganshert emerges as a proven, skilled storyteller in Life After. This high-concept, intriguing story will have you pondering the characters long after you finish the last page. From start to finish, you won't want to put it down."
--Rachel Hauck, New York Times best-selling author

"Katie Ganshert is one of my favorites! Her novels are rich in authentic characters, beautiful prose, and emotional plot lines. She's a tremendously gifted storyteller."
--Becky Wade, Carol Award-winning author of Undeniably Yours

About the Author

Katie Ganshert is the author of several novels and works of short fiction, including the Christy Award-winner A Broken Kind of Beautiful, the Carol Award-winner The Art of Losing Yourself, and No One Ever Asked. Katie lives in eastern Iowa with her family.