The Search for Maggie Ward: A Novel

A poignant tale of love, loss, and faith set in the aftermath of World War II, from acclaimed New York Times–bestselling author and theologian.

Young Navy flier Jerry Keenan is supposed to be on his way home to Chicago, law school, and a postwar life that is socially acceptable to a well-off Irish Catholic family. Instead he is in Arizona delaying that homecoming while he wrestles with his memories of combat and the men he saw die.

That may be one reason an encounter with a girl at a Tucson lunch counter seems so appealing. Another reason is that she is mysterious, hauntingly beautiful, and very sexy—the perfect antidote for a troubled heart.

But just when Jerry realizes how much he needs Maggie Ward, she dramatically vanishes, or is taken, from him. And Jerry Keenan, in search of his destiny and his soul, must be willing to move heaven and earth to find the woman he loves.

“Unabashedly romantic . . . impossible to resist . . . that is the singular magic of The Search for Maggie Ward.” ―Orlando Sentinel

“A spellbinder . . . on par with any Andrew Greeley novel, I couldn't put it down. Page by page, the reader will search for Maggie with the protagonist, unable to stop until the novel is finished in a single sitting.” ―Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“The Search for Maggie Ward is a great success―an exciting love story and an inspiring one . . . loaded with suspense and romance.” ―St. Anthony Messenger

© 2024 Forge Books (Ebook): 9781429946759

Release date

Ebook: May 1, 2024