String Theory

Some secrets lie buried deeper than the roots of an ancient tree...For 25-year-old Tess Ester life is straightforward. She finds fulfillment in her work caring for the elderly and peace with her partner, Bob. But, as she and Bob begin planning their future together, she finds herself torn by an impossible choice: Bob wants to emigrate to Australia where a wonderful opportunity awaits him and, although she loves him, Tess finds it unbearable to sever her ties to the Netherlands. When a devastating summer storm ravages the garden of her childhood home, more comes to the surface than just fallen timber. The fall of a majestic chestnut tree exposes a history that has been carefully concealed for over eighty years. A chance discovery among the roots forms the center of a secret that has been kept silent for generations. As Tess tries to decipher the jumbled words of a man suffering from dementia, she learns that the truth is rarely literal. She develops her own "String Theory" to make sense of, among other things, his past. String Theory is a compelling novel about the invisible connections to the past and the courage it takes to choose the future.