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Indelicate Deception

a novel

Coming April 5, 2025***

Caty Robertson arrives in the world physically fragile and abundantly loved, destined to grow tall and strong like her parents. She’s raised in the glow of Daddy’s generous embrace of humanity and his entertaining stories about Caty’s mother, Lenore. But Caty doesn’t remember her mother, and Daddy is vague about the reasons for her absence.

By young adulthood, Caty creates an idealized vision of her parents’ romance in Berkeley of the early ’70s, a hotbed of social and political change. Lenore is a brilliant law student, eager to tackle every injustice. Roy is an injured Vietnam War veteran and talented chef who dreams of owning a restaurant. The lovers are unlike each other in every way—race, class, politics, and values—yet they soar high on their love, powering through money troubles, his PTSD, and her family’s disapproval of their relationship.

Why, then, does Lenore leave Caty and her father? The separation was amicable, Daddy says, and although they’ve lost touch, he’s sure “she’s livin’ a good life” wherever she is. Sensing more to the story, fearing a hurt greater than Daddy lets on, Caty undertakes a secret investigation to protect his feelings. As she begins her search in earnest, she uncovers startling, unimaginable details—but the facts will remain elusive until she can find her mother and demand the truth.

Indelicate Deception celebrates the unbreakable bond of love between a father and his daughter while unraveling the self-deceptive path of a woman who could have had it all.

Who was the real Lenore? What I saw on the outside might not reflect what was inside. I didn’t know if I wanted to understand her.

— from Indelicate Deception

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“A beautifully crafted and deeply moving story.” — BookView Review (Five Stars)

“Gripping, intense, and profound… Evocative prose and authentic dialogue enrich the emotional complexity of the narrative, blending moments of tenderness, humor, and heartbreak. Kemanis masterfully weaves emotional depth with nuanced character development.” — The Prairies Book Review

“Colorful prose full of sharply-realized dialogue [and] third-act revelations will keep readers turning pages. An involving story of intergenerational discovery.” — Kirkus Reviews

“RECOMMENDED” — The U.S. Review of Books

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***Retailers and Libraries: Available in trade paperback and ebook at wholesale discount through Ingram iPage, Baker & Taylor, and Overdrive