The Probable FutureWhen the women in the Sparrow family reach thirteen, they develop a unique ability. In young Stella's case, the gift, which is both a blessing and a curse, is the ability to see a person's probable future. Stella foresees a gruesome murder, and tells her charming, feckless father about it, but it is too late - the murder has already been committed and suspicion falls on him. Hoffman unlocks the caskets of family life and the secret history of a community in this magical story about young love and old love, about making choices - usually the wrong ones - about foresight and consequences, all suffused with the haunting scent of roses and wisteria, and the hum of bees on a summer evening. |
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Alice Hoffman asked bay laurel bees birthday blue Boston breath Brock Stewart brother Cake House called chess pie cold Cynthia dark daughter dead horse doctor door dream driveway Elinor Sparrow everything eyes father feel felt forsythia garden girl glass grandmother green hair hand Hap Stewart he'd heard Henry Elliot Hourglass Lake inside Jenny Sparrow Jenny's Jimmy Elliot Juliet Aronson kitchen knew laughed Liza Hull Liza's looked Matt Avery Matt's morning mother never night North Arthur once peach pulled rain Rebecca Sparrow Rebecca's daughter rose scent seemed she'd sleep smelled snapping turtles snow snowdrops someone stay Stella stone stood stopped Street sure tea house tell thing thought three o'clock train told took town trees turned Unity waiting walked wanted who'd wild ginger Will's window woman woods