The Duzy House of Mourning - by Ka Hancock (Paperback)

About the Book

New Year's Eve. Two drivers. One desperate to get his laboring wife to the hospital, the other way past his limit... The morning headlines would read: The New Year Rang In Its First Death and First Birth--Both In The Same Family.

Book Synopsis

THE DUZY HOUSE OF MOURNING is the compelling story of a young woman who survived an unthinkable accident the night she was born, an accident that claimed the life of her father, and forever altered her mother who sustained a traumatic brain injury.

The book opens 22 years later. January Duzinski has been raised by her Polish paternal grandparents and works as an embalmer in their mortuary. She's a bit of an introvert, completely comfortable with the dead, completely brilliant (like her mother was) at the piano. And she has a very conflicted relationship with her non-verbal, disabled mother, Claire.

But January's life is about to veer off its course with the arrival of one Oscar Thibodeau-attorney for her maternal grandmother, Rose Winston, a woman January has never met, a woman who is suddenly deceased. It seems there is a Steinway concert grand piano up for grabs...and anything else that might interest January.

Thus begins January's reluctant journey into the incredible life of her mother. Through Claire's diaries January is introduced to a strong, savvy, confident, enormously talented girl who disinherited herself from the wealth and trappings of a life she did not want. January is also made privy to a firsthand account of her parents' love story, and the price Claire paid to be with her Polish undertaker. For the first time, January meets the father she has only known through her Duzinski grandparents.

What emerges is a deeper, more poignant understanding of the very complex question: What does love really look like?

Review Quotes

"To say I loved this book is an understatement. The Duzy House of Mourning is

a precious pearl, a story to relish, to savor, to consume with care. This is

Ka Hancock's second novel. If you haven't read her first book Dancing on

Broken Glass, please do. It's remarkable as well."

"I am moving this masterfully written book into my top favorites I have ever read. Such a tragic and beautiful story, I feel like the characters are family. Bravo! I'm looking forward to encores from this author."

"In "The Duzy House of Mourning," Hancock has created a work that resonates with anyone who has grappled with questions of love, family, and identity."

"Ka Hancock's storytelling is nothing short of exceptional. The narrative unfolds with a perfect blend of emotion and suspense, keeping you captivated from start to finish. You'll find yourself shedding tears of both sorrow and joy as you accompany the characters on their poignant journey."

"A poignant examination of family, love, and resiliency is presented in this emotionally charged book by Ka Hancock. It creates well-crafted characters that will touch your heart by fusing a timeless love story."

"Powerful and thought provoking, things jump out of the plot that you would never expect, and yet they fit perfectly. The ending is wildly satisfying as well. "