Winter Sisters

February 12, 2018
Oliveira (My Name Is Mary Sutter) reunites readers with doctor Mary Sutter in this galvanic tale set in the winter of 1879. After a deadly blizzard engulfs the northeastern U.S., Mary, a former Civil War surgeon turned practicing doctor in Albany, N.Y., sets out to find two missing girls whose parents died in the storm. Mary is resolute in her mission to find the girls, and even after Albany police give up their official search, she perseveres. Meanwhile, Mary’s mother, Amelia, and niece, Elizabeth, return from Paris, where Elizabeth had gone to study violin. Upon returning to a devastated Albany, Elizabeth mourns the loss of the missing children, who are now presumed dead, along with her dream of becoming a professional musician, which seems out of reach after her training abroad ended poorly. When the shocking fate of the girls is suddenly revealed, Elizabeth, seeing an opportunity to help others recover from the horrible discovery, takes out her violin. Mary approaches the matter as a doctor, collecting evidence with the help of her family to understand what happened to the girls. Their dramatic investigation culminates in a courtroom battle that shakes the entire city. Oliveira’s beautiful, expertly researched novel showcases the lives of women overcoming societal constraints and living fearlessly.