The Nature of Fragile Things

By: Susan Meissner

Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins, Jason Culp

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed.

Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right.

Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved.

The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear.

From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.

Praise for The Nature of Fragile Things

“A mysterious web of lies, love, and loss that accelerates toward the inevitable: the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906." (Kristin Harmel, author of The Book of Lost Names)

“A riveting tale set in 1906 San Francisco. These fascinating characters' hidden pasts and dark secrets collide, entwine, and explode - and that's before the earthquake hits." (Greer Macallister, author of The Magician's Lie and The Arctic Fury)

“In the ashes of San Francisco's greatest tragedy, one remarkable woman finds love, friendship, and the means to rebuild. Historical fiction that reads with the urgency and suspense of a thriller.” (Lauren Willig, New York Times best-selling author of The Summer Country)

“Driven by the unstoppable force of the three intriguing women at its heart, this is a novel to savor, and one to share with all the women in your life whom you admire." (Hazel Gaynor, New York Times best-selling author of When We Were Young & Brave)

©2021 Susan Meissner (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Meissner spins an exceptional story.... Unexpected and masterfully crafted twists and turns abound.... Ingeniously plotted and perfectly structured, this captivates from beginning to end.” (Publisher's Weekly, starred review)

“A terrific tale that takes us on a harrowing cable-car ride through early 20th-century San Francisco, where dark secrets - like the city itself - crack wide open, forcing our world-weary heroine to confront the devastation done by the lies she's been told and by the lies she's still telling.” (Stephanie Dray, author of America’s First Daughter and The Women of Chateau Lafayette)

“A brilliant story of resilience and the power of female friendship." (Marie Benedict, New York Times best-selling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie)

Certain to be a favorite

I can not stop thinking about this book. I’m sad that I finished it. Those kinds of books don’t come along every day.
If you’re looking for a really good historical fiction with strong female characters, and intriguing plot, a bit of mystery and just great all around story, this is that book. The narrators were awesome and the writing was perfect.
My first Susan Meissner novel, but definitely not my last. I highly recommend The Nature of Fragile Things.

Great new book from Susan Meissner

Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors - and I think this one may be her best so far. I couldn't stop listening to it and finished it in two days. I enjoy listening to books while I walk and work in the yard, so I got a lot done the past two days - and listened to a great book. She really made me feel I was living through the San Francisco earthquake.. I enjoyed the intrigue and the strength of the women and the way she intertwined their lives. The ending was quite a surprise that I did not see coming.

Great story, bad narrator

The story was amazing and despite my feelings about the narrator I finished it quickly because I was on the edge of my seat. The narrator has a cadence where her voice goes high in the middle of sentences and it was terribly annoying. Also I’m really not sure about her Irish accent. Other than that the book was great.

Another engaging story

Enjoyed the story and the narration. Susan does her research to set her novels into "real" periods of history. The mystery was engaging, and the way she uses words to create pictures in one's mind is delightful.

Very good story

Susan Meissner writes so many interesting stories. There is not a single book I have read of hers I have not loved.

Great book!

I loved this book and the narrator. I listened to it straight thru. It has just enough suspense and great historical info.

Captivated by story—didn’t love the reader.

Captivated by story—didn’t love the reader.

I enjoyed the whole premise of the novel and how the characters all came together. The narration was difficult to listen to, however, as it seemed as if I were listening to a museum tour.

Loved it

I can’t remember who told me to read this book but I’m so glad they did. I loved the characters and the intricate story. The performance enhanced the main character and her connection to her homeland. Great listen

Worth the Read

I enjoy historical fiction and this is a nice mix of history, friendship, motherhood and mystery.
Strong characters intertwine as the story unravels.

Kept me interested the entire book!

This book was very interesting, and I loved every minute of it! The history was also enjoyable to learn about