IN A DISTANT VALLEY The Dalton Novels, Book 3

This audiobook, the third of the Dalton novels, recounts the hardscrabble lives of people in a rural town in northern Maine. The friendly, gossipy voice of narrator Patricia Shade ensures that listeners become familiar with some of the citizens in this close-knit community--their dreams, secrets, and vulnerabilities. The most compelling character is Rose, a single mother who is falling in love with Nate, the nicest police officer in fiction. Rose is pursued by her abusive ex-husband, a damaged and frightening man. Although most of the action is mundane, there are some dramatic situations. Listeners will remember the two young people who are trapped in the snow during a blizzard. Many listeners will enjoy this in-depth look at a working-class community in the 1990s. [Published: JANUARY 2026]