The Done Thing - by Tracy Manaster (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published in hardcover in 2016 by Tyrus Books.

Book Synopsis

In the tradition of Olive Kitteridge and The Woman Upstairs, this "deeply human and morally saturated novel" (Library Journal, starred review) explores how a terrible crime changed one woman's life forever.Lida Stearl prides herself on always do the right thing--it has served her well throughout her life as she built a career as an orthodontist, maintained a happy marriage, and raised her young niece after the murder of her sister by her brother-in-law, Clarence Lusk. But now that she's widowed, retired, and an empty nester, the small perfections of her orderly life aren't enough to stop her from feeling adrift. Then a well-intentioned birthday gift leads her to discover that Clarence, on death row for his crime, is seeking pen pals from the outside as he prepares for his final appeal. For the first time in her life, Lida crosses a line--she begins to write him, pretending to be a naïve, flirtatious twenty-three year old, in an effort to seek retribution. As letters pass steadily between Lida and Clarence, her obsession with revenge unfolds and she begins to question her morality. The Done Thing is an utterly memorable and engrossing exploration of forgiveness, loyalty, and justice, and how a tragic event can suddenly change a life's course.

Review Quotes

"In this engrossing story about the effects that vengeance can have on love, Manaster refuses to take the happy, easy way out, instead leaving her strikingly relatable characters with just enough room to breathe." --Publishers Weekly
"Manaster (You Could Be Home by Now) has written a deeply human and morally saturated novel, with captivating language. Don't miss this sympathetic examination of how a tragic incident can irrevocably change a life's course." --Library Journal, Starred Review
"The Done Thing is a masterful example of what fiction can be. The writing is sharp and evocative, tenderly depicting a sister's grief-born obsession. Clarence is an unrepentant villain, so different from typical death penalty-themed novels. Lida is wounded and bitter, tender and loving, and completely lost in the past. But justice, compassion and forgiveness are the real main characters of this book, and readers will know them better by the story's end." --The Deseret News
"The Portlander's delivery is always laced with smart and sly subtleties. Manaster draws magnetically, without a load of extras, and her audience is likely to sneak away only to fill a drink for her, to ensure she doesn't stop telling her story." --The Register-Guard

"Manaster (You Could Be Home by Now) has written a deeply human and morally saturated novel, with captivating language. Don t miss this sympathetic examination of how a tragic incident can irrevocably change a life's course." --Library Journal, Starred Review

"The Done Thing is a masterful example of what fiction can be. The writing is sharp and evocative, tenderly depicting a sister's grief-born obsession. Clarence is an unrepentant villain, so different from typical death penalty-themed novels. Lida is wounded and bitter, tender and loving, and completely lost in the past. But justice, compassion and forgiveness are the real main characters of this book, and readers will know them better by the story's end." --The Deseret News

"The Portlander's delivery is always laced with smart and sly subtleties. Manaster draws magnetically, without a load of extras, and her audience is likely to sneak away only to fill a drink for her, to ensure she doesn t stop telling her story." --The Register-Guard"

"The Portlander's delivery is always laced with smart and sly subtleties. Manaster draws magnetically, without a load of extras, and her audience is likely to sneak away only to fill a drink for her, to ensure she doesn t stop telling her story." --The Register-Guard"

About the Author

Tracy Manaster is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She is the author of the novel You Could Be Home by Now. Tracy lives in Portland, OR, with her husband and twin daughters.