THE DOG OF THE NORTH by Elizabeth McKenzie

woman with a very good reason for not being interested in dating. The stories hang together in surprising ways, often linked across time—McCauley excels at historical fiction as well as contemporary. Individually, they are each admiringly gutsy and tender, with flashes of poetry. No reader will be surprised to learn that McCauley’s debut—Scar On / Scar Off (2017)— blended prose and poems.

What can’t McCauley do? A writer to watch.

THE DOG OF THE NORTH

McKenzie, Elizabeth Penguin Press (336 pp.) $27.00 | March 14, 2023 978-0-593-30069-5

When her mad-scientist grandmother waves a gun at Meals on Wheels, Penny Rush is called to Santa Barbara, where her adventures begin. The unattributed epigraph of this book—“For a while I went berserk, and wished it would never end...”—is eventually revealed to be an excerpt from the journal of one of the characters. One suspects it also reflects McKenzie’s state of mind while writing this delightful narrative, and it soon becomes relatable for the enchanted reader. Sadly, no matter how many times you try to pause so it won’t be over, it still ends—with a decent outcome for its protagonist, thank heaven, because by that time you will be fully in love with Penny,