“Alison Preston's novel The Rain Barrel Baby isn't a who-done-it kind of mystery. It doesn't keep you on the edge of your comfy reading chair. When you're home alone, you don't look up from the page, thinking you've heard someone creeping down the hallway. Instead, the novel captures the everyday mysteries of character, relationships and families. It explores the world of secrets and the impact of harbouring those secrets.

Bouncing back and forth in time and from one character to the next, the fractured narrative begins with the discovery of a dead baby in a rain barrel in a quiet Winnipeg community. The fulcrum for the novel's multitude of storylines is Frank Foote, a police officer who investigates the case of the rain barrel baby and finds that he himself, however tangentially, is entwined with the grisly crime.

Though the investigation proceeds, Preston deals more with uncovering the secrets of the other main characters than with the mystery of the rain barrel baby; Frank's teenage daughter, Emma, smokes cigars in the park with her friend; Denise, Frank's wife, is an alcoholic who periodically seeks treatment; Greta, the Footes' neighbour, gave a daughter up for adoption dozens of years ealier; and Frank, the benign and gentle father who knits both on and off duty, reveals his own terrible secret--that as a teenager, he witnessed a brutal crime and did nothing to prevent or report it.

With a lean writing style, Preston draws a disturbing cast of characters, almost all of whom are women. Affected by mental illness and addiction, each character seems to be more troubled than the last. In fact, the only character who inspires any sense of hope is the teenaged Emma. By far the most unsettling portrait is that of Ivy Grace, who has just returned to Frank's neighbourhood under the guise of organizing a high school reunion.

Responding to the voices in her head, Ivy executes her real motive with chilling disregard for the innocent around her. Though Preston's characters, at times, challenge the novel's believability--Emma seems more cheerful and grounded than any teeanger I've ever known to have been and Ivy seems to be too disturbed to function as she does--they carry the story. And it's a good thing they do, since the case of the rain barrel baby is not much of a mystery and the plot twists and turns are fairly predictable.

Nevertheless, The Rain Barrel Baby is a compelling read. The storytelling is well-paced for a thriller and Preston deftly knits together several meandering storylines. Beginning with a search for the baby's identity, this novel explores the identity of each character and gives us a glimpse into the world of secrets that is all around us.”

— Kerry Ryan Herizons

“Alison's Preston's new novel is a compelling exploration of the power of secrets in our lives. Her finely drawn characters reveal a writer who is as compassionate as she is sharp-sighted. Down-to-earth, insightful and beautifully written, The Rain Barrel Baby is a worthy addition to any mystery library.”

— Gail Bowen