Layla

"A wrenching look at the human costs of activism and the resiliency oflove."
--HELEN SCHULMAN, author of ADay at the Beach

"Céline Keating's deftly plotted noveltakes readers on a gripping journey along the underground railroad of post-'60sradicalism. . . . Every adult has to reinterpret the story of her childhood.Keating beautifully demonstrates the courage it takes for each of us to facethat bittersweet truth."
--LARRYDARK, Director of The Story Prize
 
"A beautiful book--at once nostalgic and fresh--that willgo straight to your heart and lodge there."
--ALETHEA BLACK, author of I Knew You'd Be Lovely
 
"[An] emotional page-turner. Layla's coming to terms with her parents'dangerous activism is heart wrenching due to Keating's delightfully drawncharacters. This novel also serves as a compelling lesson in our values and howdrastically they've changed. It serves as a better history than any essay orscreed."
--SUSAN BRAUDY, author of FamilyCircle

"As Layla James drives cross-country, following the cryptic directionsof her late mother, she meets a wide and sharply drawn group of veteranradicals who all play a part in the search for her mysterious father. . .. Keating keeps the pace fast and the suspense high . . . You'll want to ridewith her every mile of the way!"
--ROBERT HERSHON, editor ofHanging Loose Press


"A fast-moving storyof family secrets, political intrigue, and a young woman's coming of age. Layla is a rare combination of a novelthat is both suspenseful and insightful, narrated by a character who ischarming, intelligent, appealing, and most importantly, honest. . . .  a gripping tale and a memorable read."
--CON LEHANE, author of Death at the Old Hotel
 
"A triumph of political literature . . . as informative as it isimpossible to put down."
--MARNIE MUELLER, author of MyMother's Island
 
"Evoked in beautifulprose and telling details . . . [Layla]brings to life the complexity of family dynamics, with all its conflicts,dangers and rewards."
--NAHID RACHLIN, author of Persian Girls: A Memoir

"Unfolds like a finely calibrated psychological mystery. . . . In Layla,Céline Keating has created an unforgettable character who is by turnsexasperating, funny, courageous and fiercely loyal. Layla's journey towardunderstanding of her past and present evokes both the idealism and danger ofthe '60s, which resonate to this day."
--SUSAN SEGAL, author of Aria

From the Back Cover

"A wrenching look at the human costs of activism and the resiliency oflove."
--HELEN SCHULMAN, author of ADay at the Beach