The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

A New York Times Notable Book

Acclaimed author Ann Patchett's debut novel, hailed as "beautifully written . . . a first novel that second- and third-time novelists would envy for its grace, insight, and compassion" (Boston Herald)--now available as a special Harper Perennial Olive Edition.

St. Elizabeth's, a home for unwed mothers in Habit, Kentucky, usually harbors its residents for only a little while. Not so Rose Clinton, a beautiful, mysterious woman who comes to the home pregnant but not unwed, and stays. She plans to give up her child, thinking she cannot be the mother it needs. But when Cecilia is born, Rose makes a place for herself and her daughter amid St. Elizabeth's extended family of nuns and an ever-changing collection of pregnant teenage girls. Rose's past won't be kept away, though, even by St. Elizabeth's; she cannot remain untouched by what she has left behind, even as she cannot change who she has become in the leaving.

Harper Perennial Olive Editions are exclusive small-format editions of some of our bestselling and celebrated titles, and feature unique hand-drawn cover illustrations. All Olive Editions are available for a limited time only.

ANN PATCHETT has written seven novels and three nonfiction pieces. She has been named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Important Persons in the World, as well as the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Orange Prize in England, and the Novel Sense Book of the Year. More than thirty languages have been translated into her work. She resides in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, Karl, and their dog, Sparky, as co-owner of Parnassus Books. annpatchett.com is a website dedicated to Ann Patchett.