The Finite Woman

"A complex psychological tale examines grief and unlikely redemption." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Margaret has a plan to escape the small Wisconsin town she grew up in. A gifted math prodigy, she's going to leverage her academic skills to go to college, then on to law school. But the trajectory of her life is changed by a singular act of violence; her retaliation becomes the corrosive secret she carries into adulthood.

Tom is a pediatric surgeon in Los Angeles, blessed with talent, good fortune, and the privileges of professional respect. But his charmed life collapses when his wife dies. Sliding into a mental darkness, he no longer recognizes who he is, or how to function in his role as a father.

Guidance comes from an unlikely source. When their children meet and begin an unusual relationship, it pushes Margaret and Tom toward the difficult path of acceptance, and the possibility of love.

The Finite Woman moves through two decades and is told from multiple points of view. It is a story of exposed secrets, the lasting effects of violence, and the redemptive power that comes from facing our own dark truths.

"Fans of the sharp-edged, character-driven novels of Carol Cassella and Chris Bohjalian will find here a promising new author to follow."- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Mark Salamon lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children. The Finite Woman is his first novel.