Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out.Īfter the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an animal shelter.

Now, just months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her belongings-her favorite towel, the sketchbooks in her desk drawer-as he struggles to pack for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.Įlla Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her days while she anxiously awaits news-any piece of information-about her missing daughter. Set in a close-knit suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.Ĭhuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat-that yearly taste of relaxation they’d become accustomed to after a lifetime of working and raising two children. 'I look forward to bringing another book to the UK and Commonwealth.From the author of A Little Hope-a Read with Jenna Bonus Pick-comes another “heartwarming, character-driven” ( Booklist) life-affirming novel about three individuals whose lives intersect in unforeseen ways. 'I am absolutely thrilled to get the opportunity to work with Muswell Press again for A Quiet Life, as I found them to be such a supportive and savvy publisher with my first novel,' he said. His debut novel, A Little Hope, was published by the press in 2021. His work has appeared in River Teeth, International Fiction Review, MacGuffin, Delaware Beach Life and Third Wednesday.

Joella teaches English and psychology at the University of Delaware and leads community writing workshops. Deeply moving, yet imbued with hope, we are proud to be publishing this truly compelling novel.' Publishers Sarah and Kate Beal said: 'Ethan Joella writes so beautifully, he conjures something extraordinary from the everyday. The team at Muswell have a uniquely passionate vision, which shone through their publication of A Little Hope, and I am thrilled for readers in the UK and Commonwealth to discover Ethan’s beautiful, poignant novel, charged full of small-town charm.' Milburn said: 'I am delighted to see Ethan published by Muswell Press for his stunning second novel, A Quiet Life. It will be published in the US in November by Scribner, and in the UK in February 2023.

Set in a close-knit Pennsylvania suburb in the depths of winter, the novel follows three grieving individuals whose lives intersect in unforeseen ways. Publisher and co-founder of the press Sarah Beal bought UK and Commonwealth rights to the title from Madeleine Milburn at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. Muswell Press has landed A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella, a 'deeply moving' novel about three people grappling with loss.

A quiet life ethan joella