Recipient of the 2010 PNBA Book Award. The novel begins with a family tragedy involving a senseless murder.  The characters are developed with care and tenderness, as each family member’s attempts to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way.  Ultimately, faced with a growing sense that vengeance won’t stop her pain, the mother takes the extraordinary and clandestine step of reaching out to her son’s killer while he is awaiting execution for the crime. The two forge an unlikely connection that remains a secret from her family and friends. Dramatic, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting, THE CRYING TREE is an unforgettable book about the unbreakable bonds of family and the transformative power of forgiveness.