"In this impressive debut novel that explores the dark, troubling history of psychiatric institutions, Erin Miller Reid writes with deep understanding and compassion about mental health, the cost of family silences, and the strength and resilience of women across generations. A wonderful new and important voice for Appalachian literature."—Carter Sickels, author of The Prettiest Star

"But for Fortune is the kind of novel that lingers long after the final page. Erin Miller Reid renders Corinth Eaton with remarkable precision, creating a character who is not only deeply relatable but also representative of so many women trying to hold too much together at once. As Corinth navigates the pressures of medical training while uncovering the hidden story of her grandmother, the novel unfolds into a powerful story of buried truths and hard-won revelations. Reid's prose draws the reader in and refuses to let go, even in moments when the story becomes so painful one needs to pause and catch their breath. At its heart, this is a story about one woman's quest to reclaim her grandmother's narrative and, in doing so, find the path to her own liberation."—Angela Jackson-Brown, author of Untethered: A Novel

"Reid's scenes, full of sensory details, unfolded like a vivid song for days after I finished reading But for Fortune. I couldn't put this novel down, and its story will long have a hold on me."—Karen Salyer McElmurray, author of I Could Name God in Twelve Ways: Essays

"Reid's But For Fortune is a work of profound insight, breaching the walls of silent suffering and skillfully liberating generations of once-hushed histories. Her compassionate prose explores the complex bonds of women and their families, all with both feet firmly planted on a path toward communal reckoning."—Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, author of Even As We Breathe