“I absolutely loved it. It’s quirky and wonderful, with great characters and a touching tale of rebirth—all contributing to the sheer glory of this book.”

—Elizabeth George, New York Times bestselling author of the Lynley crime novels

“...beautifully written and compelling...full of humor and heartbreak.”

—Kevin O’Brien, New York Times bestselling author of Everyone a Stranger

A septuagenarian recluse who devotes her days to correcting the grammar of strangers is forced to teach a community writing class and finds meaning and connection in the unlikeliest of places: other people.

Living alone in a converted hayloft, Claire Maguire is visited by a curious barn mouse, but no family, no friends, no one to reveal the story of her first seventy-five years. A retired English professor, she spends each day correcting grammar mistakes in newspapers and mailing edits to the offenders. Somebody has to maintain standards.

Forced to substitute-teach a community writing class, Claire finds that being exposed to the public again comes with risks. More students she fully expects to disappoint her, new police prying into her past … and strangest, elderly men eager to share her company (shouldn’t they be done with all that?).

A boisterous ex-logger named Wil Hedlund, though, could be worth knowing. Unafraid to stand up to bullies, large or small, Wil could be the key that allows Claire to confront the shattering events that forced her retreat decades earlier, during the turbulent years of the Vietnam War.

From Dave Boling, author of the international bestseller Guernica, comes Claire Maguire Is Silently Correcting Your Grammar, a tender exploration of what’s possible in life’s third act, perfect for fans of Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.