Winner of the 2023 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize. The recipient of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction emerged victorious. Nearly fifty years pass without the resolution of the disappearance of a four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl from the blueberry fields of Maine, stirring a mystery that will linger with those who survived and cause the breakdown of a family. A remarkable first book concerning love, race, violence, and the healing power of forgiveness. The novel was commended as "People, A Best New Book". July 1962. A family from the Mi’kmaq community in Nova Scotia has come to Maine to harvest blueberries during the summer season. Following the passage of several weeks, Ruthie, the youngest child of the family at the age of four, disappears. Joe saw her sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of the berry field. For years ahead, Joe will be deeply affected by his sister's vanishing. Within Maine, a young female named Norma matures as the singular offspring of a wealthy household. Her father displays emotional distance, while her mother exhibits frustrating levels of overprotection. Norma frequently grapples with recurrent dreams and visions that feel more akin to memories than mere figments of imagination. As Norma ages, she gradually becomes aware of a secret her parents are keeping from her. Reluctant to give up on her gut feeling, she will dedicate years to unveiling this family mystery. Readers of The Vanishing Half and Woman of Light will be captivated by this debut novel from an exciting new fiction writer. It tells a compelling story about uncovering truths, navigating trauma, and enduring love throughout history. A distressing story of Native American family division. . . In crafting characters, Peters has a knack for creating individuals that naturally garner our support. . . In The Berry Pickers, Peters strives to document the experiences of individuals who endured racist efforts of erasure similar to those faced by her Mi’kmaw ancestors. "The New York Times Book Review quoted the sentences. "
