Elaine Connor is a former Minneapolis police officer who has moved to the neighborhood where she spent her youth after suffering a breakdown due to the death of her son in a car accident. She is pleasantly surprised when Reilly Boschardt, the daughter of her ex-boyfriend, shows up on her doorstep. Reilly is going through the turmoil of her own having been kicked out of high school weeks before graduation and has nowhere to go as her mother is selling the house. Although Elaine has no idea how to handle the situation for Reilly, she takes her in and gets her an internship that will allow her to complete her degree.

Through the Waves: A Steady Path by Patrick M. Garry is a book that follows two people with a difficult life trying to make amends and create spaces for healing and growth. However, events within their lives continue to bring back the grief that they are trying to leave behind. As Elaine manages the security for a leading university in the area, she has to deal with a crime scene where a professor dies of suicide. Soon after, a bomb blast rips through the university, and once again, Elaine is pushed back, coming face to face with her painful past.

Patrick M. Garry merges the stories of two wounded souls in a skillful manner, creating complex relationships and allowing readers strong glimpses of their broken hearts. The inner worlds of the characters are beautifully written and their humanity shines through the story with unusual brilliance. The characters evoke a sense of resilience, yet they are genuinely flawed. Through the Waves: A Steady Path  is a great example of the author’s ability to combine sharp commentaries, a compelling narrative voice, and dazzling prose to create a page-turner that is emotionally and psychologically rich.