Joan Kenny’s “A Snake at My Shoulder” Unravels a Haunting Story of Memory, Grief, Survival, and Love That Never Fully Disappears

Some places never truly release us. No matter how far we travel or how carefully we build a new life, one familiar road, one forgotten house, or one unexpected face can bring the past rushing back.

In Joan Kenny’s compelling literary novel, “A Snake at My Shoulder,” Audrey Bevan returns to the Canadian town she left behind many years ago. She has come to fulfill the final wish of her beloved brother, James: to scatter his ashes in the river where they spent their childhood.

Audrey expects grief. She does not expect to see Frank Addison—the boy she once loved and the man whose memory has followed her through the years.

That brief sighting opens a door Audrey has kept firmly closed. As she drives toward the abandoned family property, familiar landmarks begin pulling memories from her: the old bridge, the orchard, the river, the barn, and the neighboring house where Frank once lived. Then a devastating accident leaves Audrey trapped in her vehicle and eventually confined to a hospital bed, where the boundaries between past and present begin to blur.

Unable to escape her thoughts, Audrey silently speaks to Frank. Through this intimate, deeply personal conversation, she revisits the story of her life—from childhood days beside the river to adulthood in London and travels abroad. She remembers moments of freedom and tenderness, but she must also confront the violence, betrayal, grief, and family secrets she spent decades trying to outrun. What begins as a homecoming becomes a powerful emotional reckoning.

A Story Told With Honesty, Humanity, and Emotional Depth

“A Snake at My Shoulder” is not simply a novel about returning to one’s hometown. It is a story about what happens when a person finally stops running from the truth.

Audrey is resilient, intelligent, observant, and often unexpectedly humorous. Even while facing physical pain and emotional exhaustion, she remembers the ordinary details that made life meaningful: shared meals, bicycle rides through London, cats curled beneath blankets, afternoons by the river, apples growing in a neglected orchard, and quiet moments with the people she loved.

Those warm memories exist beside much darker ones. Audrey and James shared a childhood shaped by loss, neglect, manipulation, and abuse. Their bond became a source of protection and understanding, making James’s death especially devastating. As Audrey reflects on the past, readers see how trauma can remain close—like the symbolic snake of the title—even after someone has crossed oceans, built a career, and created an independent life.

The novel never reduces Audrey to what happened to her. Instead, Joan Kenny presents her as a complicated and courageous woman who chose movement, work, travel, beauty, and hope. She may have left home, but she carried both her wounds and her dreams with her.

Why “A Snake at My Shoulder” Belongs on the Reading List

This is a must-have novel for readers who appreciate emotionally layered stories about complicated families, first love, grief, survival, and the lasting power of memory.

Its dated, diary-like structure draws readers into Audrey’s hospital room one day at a time. Each memory reveals another part of the woman she has become, while the unanswered question of Frank remains quietly present: Will Audrey ever have the chance to speak the words she has carried for so long?

Kenny’s vivid descriptions transform landscapes into emotional landmarks. The river is more than water. The bridge is more than a crossing. The abandoned house is more than a building. Each place holds a piece of Audrey’s history, creating an atmospheric reading experience that feels both intimate and cinematic.

The book will resonate especially with readers of literary fiction, psychological family dramas, reflective women’s fiction, and character-driven stories that do not offer easy answers. It is painful without being hopeless, romantic without becoming sentimental, and deeply personal while exploring universal questions:

• How much of the past do we carry with us?
• Can we ever completely leave home?
• What does survival look like after the danger has passed?
• What happens to love when it is left unspoken for years?

“A Snake at My Shoulder” invites readers to sit beside Audrey as she finally tells her story. It is a story of the people who hurt us, the people who saved us, the dreams that carried us forward, and the memories that continue whispering long after we believe we have moved on.

Purchase “A Snake at My Shoulder” Today

Readers looking for an unforgettable novel filled with emotional honesty, evocative storytelling, family secrets, resilience, and enduring love are encouraged to add “A Snake at My Shoulder” to their collection.

Purchase Joan Kenny’s “A Snake at My Shoulder” directly from The Ewings Publishing. Order your copy today. Do not miss this haunting and deeply human journey through grief, memory, survival, and the difficult courage it takes to finally face the past.

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April Andrews

Fulfillment Officer

The Ewings Publishing

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