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The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott

The ninth hour in this title refers to the afternoon hour of prayer for the Little Nursing Sisters of the Sick Poor. The sisters provide most of the medical care during the time period of this novel. The setting is Catholic, Irish-American Brooklyn in the early 20th century. A young man commits suicide, leaving behind a young pregnant wife. The nuns take her under their wings and this relationship will affect both her life and and her daughter’s life as well. This story is beautifully written.

Sue, Breakwater Books, Guilford