Mercury — Cary C. Holladay

On a Saturday night three teenagers break into an abandoned neon factory and are fascinated by a vat of mercury glistening in the half-light. They play with the strange, silvery substance, coating their arms and cigarettes with it. For Katelynn, the poisoning is swift and debilitating. For one of her companions, it is a death sentence.

While slowly recovering from mercury poisoning, Katelynn witnesses the sinking of a local tour boat outside her family's lakeside home. Louisa, the boat's captain and one of only two survivors, is devastated by the enormity of the tragedy and seeks out Katelynn, hoping the young witness can help her better understand what happened. As Louisa and Katelynn grow close, the two begin a journey that will ultimately take them both to the edge of loss and within reach of redemption.

Cary Holladay's Mercury relates haunting stories of unforgettable people with self-assurance and literary skill rare for a debut novel. This richly textured and moving book will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.