My Mary - by Dawn Beecroft Teetzel (Paperback)

About the Book

1913. Eleven-year-old Mary, a Barnardo Home Child is plucked from her loving foster home in England and shipped to Canada to work as a housemaid. In 1945, a failed suicide attempt lands her in a psychiatric hospital.

Book Synopsis

"Rich and intriguing, My Mary is a compelling look into clinical depression, the trauma of being a Barnardo Home Child, and the heartbreaking story of enduring love." -Renee Cronley, author of Burnout

Teetzel delivers a powerful historical narrative, brimming with idyllic scenes and beautiful imagery of life on a Canadian family farm. This epic tale and enduring love story spans some seventy years and shines light on one woman's life journey as a Barnardo Home Child.

January, 1945. Rural Ontario. It's another bleak winter for Mary Thistle. When she receives two successive pieces of bad news, she spirals into a deep melancholia, believing herself a burden to her family. After a failed suicide attempt, Charles, Mary's husband, the one she loves and trusts the most, commits her to a psychiatric hospital. With a timeline of three months looming, Mary rallies, determined to prove herself cured and return home.

However, confronting the memories of her past is more difficult than she had expected. And when therapy is paired with electroconvulsive treatments, Mary is left with an outcome she did not bargain for.

Review Quotes

2024 Maxy Awards Runner-Up - Historical & Adventure

"This epic tale is both a powerful historical narrative and a beautiful love story. It's a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. This is a must-read from a gifted author and one that will leave you hungry for more of Teetzel's talent. It is truly a masterpiece!" -Readers' Favorite

"Rich and intriguing, My Mary is a compelling look into clinical depression, the trauma of being a Barnardo Home Child, and the heartbreaking story of enduring love." -Renee Cronley, author of Burnout