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A Stream to Follow

Winner of the EPPY Silver Medal and Finalist for the 2022 Best Book Awards

“These pages recall the best parts of Hemingway’s Nick Adams, diving deep into the ghosts of war, embers of passion, and the drive to do good work.”

— Devin Murphy, Author of The Boat Runner and Tiny Americans

Read Reviews
About the Book

About the Book

Silver Eppy Medal

Winner of the EPPY Silver Medal

Finalist for the 2022 Best Book Awards, sponsored by American Book Fest

When Bruce Duncan, a battlefront surgeon, returns after WWII to a small town in Pennsylvania to open a general practice, the ravages of his war aren’t over. Haunted by images of soldiers he tried to save, his own near-death experiences, and a lost love, Bruce has little respite before new battles grip him. His brother, a decorated fighter pilot, is imploding and rebels against attempts to help. A former friend wages a vicious campaign to stop Bruce from uncovering the dangers that could shutter a local industry where silicosis is killing the workers. And Bruce must decide between the slim prospect of reuniting with the Englishwoman who chose her family over him and a growing attraction to a trail-blazing woman doctor.

With a story that moves from post-war America back to the killing fields of Alsace and to England under the siege of German rockets, A Stream to Follow gives fresh vision for paths to healing. Plunging into the crucible of trauma, it’s an uplifting tale of resilience of the human spirit and the search for enduring love.

Reviews

In a thrilling account of the aftermath of wartime trauma, Jess Wright tells a story of heroism, love, and healing. Engaging and heartwarming . . . A book you can’t put down.
Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D.,  author of Don’t Believe Everything You Feel and The Worry Cure

. . . a standout novel in post-WWII fiction that will grip your heart and never truly let go.
— Reader’s Favorite

Jess Wright’s emotional rendering of a front-line surgeon searching for meaning in post-WWII America–is engaging, well-paced, and has an excellent arc of character, theme, and plot.

Protagonist Bruce Duncan is relatable and worthy of an entire novel; his internal and external battles and hard-won decency is the driving force of the story.
— IndieReader

A Stream to Follow touchingly examines trauma, heartbreak, and what it takes to move ahead, in a story that will please readers of character-driven historic and literary fiction.

Wright‘s ability to immerse the reader into the realistic plotline, whether in scenes of the war or of traversing the streets of small-town Pennsylvania, compels this engaging and humane novel forward to its riveting conclusion.
— Book Life

This well-crafted novel both haunts and uplifts. Its big heart, good characterizations and lyric scene setting are it winning strengths.
— Historical Book Society

These pages recall the best parts of Hemingway’s Nick Adams, diving deep into the ghosts of war, embers of passion, and the drive to do good work. Jess Wright has a breathtaking winner with A Stream to Follow.
— Devin Murphy, best-selling author of The Boat Runner and Tiny Americans

 Historical fiction at its finest. Bruce Duncan is a determined and gentle hero whom readers will root for page after page.
— Samantha Specks, award-winning author of Dovetails in Tall Grass

Jess Wright’s A Stream to Follow is a gripping reminder of the trauma of war and the healing power of family and love. A stunning and heartfelt debut.
— Linda Kass, award-winning author of Tasa’s Song and A Ritchie Boy

This post-World War II novel touchingly and intelligently reminds us that no war ever ends. It survives in our minds and bodies, daring us to live and love alongside our memories of brutal history and unforgettable valor.
— Shelly Blanton-Stroud, author of The Copy Boy

 In a thrilling account of the aftermath of wartime trauma, Jess Wright tells a story of heroism, love, and healing. Engaging and heartwarming . . . A book you can’t put down.
— Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D.,  author of Don’t Believe Everything You Feel and The Worry Cure

 An authentic portrait of working through traumatic experiences to develop resilience. At the same time, matters of the heart play an important role in the lives of the characters in this compelling family saga . . . an absolute joy to read.
— Ames Sheldon, award winning author of Eleanor’s Wars, Don’t Put the Boats Away, and Lemons in the Garden of Love

Jess Wright is a gifted story-teller who weaves the heart-rending impact of PTSD into a novel that will resonate with all. It is a page-turner full of love, intrigue, and tested values.
— Barbara O. Rothbaum, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Emory University Healthcare Veterans Program, author of PTSD: What Everyone Wants to Know