Nightfall

From the acclaimed writer of the beloved Clara Callan comes a memorable new novel about first loves, love-after-love, and the end of things, set in summer in Quebec City.

James Hillyer, a retired university professor whose life was evocatively described in October (Wright’s novel published in 2008) is now barely existing after the death of his beloved daughter in her forties. On a whim, he tries to locate the woman he fell in love with so many years ago on a summer trip to Quebec and through the magic of the Internet he is able to find her. But Odette’s present existence seems to be haunted by ghosts from her own past, in particular, the tough ex-con Raoul, with his long-standing grievances and the beginnings of dementia. The collision of past and present leads to violence nobody could have predicted and alters the lives of James and Odette forever.

Nightfall skillfully captures the way in which our past is ever-present in our minds as we grow older, casting its spell of lost loves and the innocent joys of youth over the realities of aging and death. The novel is skillfully grounded in observation, propelled by unforgettable characters, and filled with wisdom about young love and old love. Drawing on the author’s profound understanding of the intimate bonds of men and women, Nightfall is classic Richard B. Wright.

Richard B. Wright is the author of twelve novels and has won the Giller Prize, the Governor General’s Award, the Trillium Book Award, and the CBA Libris Awards for Author and Book of the Year. His most recent one, Mr. Shakespeare’s Bastard, was shortlisted for a Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. He lives in St. Catharines with his wife, Phyllis.

ISBN: 9781476785387
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: February 07, 2017

PRAISE FOR A LIFE WITH WORDS

“A remarkable life told remarkably well. Wright, an excellent novelist, proves to be an excellent memoirist as well. A Life with Words is a moving, highly original and deeply absorbing story.”

—Robert Fulford

PRAISE FOR RICHARD B. WRIGHT
“Wonderfully subtle.”

—The Globe and Mail

“A writer of insatiable curiosity and intelligence. … A total delight to read.”

—Toronto Star

“Wright is such a lovely writer; his story unfolds and before you know it you’re hooked.”

—The Vancouver Sun

“Richard B. Wright is a master storyteller.”

—Ottawa Citizen

ADDITIONAL PRAISE

“A brilliantly layered portrait of a life that is not at all what it seems. Richard B. Wright is a master storyteller.”

—Ottawa Citizen, on Clara Callan

“A profound, graceful story … that explodes with drama and passion. A beautiful and subtle book.”

—The Guardian, on Clara Callan

“By the end of the book, Clara seems beyond mere authorial creation—she seems a living, breathing human being.”

—The Globe and Mail, on Clara Callan

“A finely crafted narrative, distinguished by economical prose and a keen attention to detail and observation.”

—National Post, on Adultery

“The new novel is quintessential Wright, marked by smooth craftsmanship and understated prose.”

—Maclean’s, on Adultery

“The work of a mature master whose seemingly effortless prose skates across the page at breakneck speed.”

—Ottawa Citizen, on Adultery

“Wright’s style is so clear and unadorned that his writing goes down like a glass of cool water.”

—Quill & Quire, on Adultery

“A gripping and memorable novel.”

—The Globe and Mail, on Adultery

“A gently persuasive novel, solidly grounded in human observation, propelled by character, imbued with wisdom.”

—The Gazette, on October“This is a haunting, beautiful story of what might have been and what still can be, even in the face of tragedy.”“If you’re one of those whose thoughts occasionally linger on a magical summer when you first fell in love, Wright offers a lovely and emotionally charged story that may inspire you to look that person up.”