The Road to Goderich

A tale of love, deception, and betrayal unfolds against the backdrop of the 1837 rebellion in Upper Canada.

In rural Scotland in the 1830s, fifteen-year-old Callandra is devastated by her father's unexpected death. To save her family from destitution, she reluctantly agrees to marry Norbert Scott, a clergyman from a wealthy Glasgow family. But when her new husband and family turn out to be cruel and disdainful toward her, Callandra's only solace in their cold, cavernous mansion is her close friendship with a household servant, Lottie.

Callandra faces more personal upheaval when her husband accepts a posting as a clergyman in the remote town of Goderich in Upper Canada. Thankfully, Lottie will accompany them to their new home, but so will her brother Sam, a carpenter whom Callandra mistrusts. After a perilous journey, they are greeted warmly by the townsfolk of Goderich, who are particularly delighted when their new pastor stands up for them in defiance of the hated colonial authorities.

But an unintentional lie spins into a web of deceit. As the sparks of rebellion flare, there are growing suspicions about the town's charismatic new clergyman that threaten to destroy the fragile happiness Callandra has unexpectedly found.

Linda McQuaig is an award-winning investigative journalist, a Toronto Star columnist, and the author of eight non-fiction national bestsellers. The Road to Goderich is her first foray into fiction. She lives in Toronto.

ISBN: 9781459754898
Format: Paperback
Pages: 368
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Published: June 17, 2025

Linda McQuaig's tale of early Canada is deeply researched and beautifully depicted, with descriptions so unsettling as to mesmerize.Known for her journalism and books about the distribution of power and wealth, McQuaig's first work of fiction (inspired by the 1982 film The Return of Martin Guerre and Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace) takes place in Upper Canada on the eve of the 1837 rebellions.I loved this book. Set in Upper Canada in the 1830s, it's the fascinating tale of Scottish immigrants trying to navigate tumultuous church divisions and a mounting rebellion. At the centre is a love story, imperiled by misunderstandings, poor choices, social rigidity, and chance. Attempting to save their union, the lovers seek safety in deceit.Readers familiar with McQuaig's non-fiction will recognize her clear prose, stiletto wit, and passion for social justice. But in the realm of fiction, her palette is darker and her subject deeply sensual. McQuaig evokes pinpoints of civilization amid the looming forests of 19th century Upper Canada with the authority of an eyewitness. The Road to Goderich is a compelling tale, operatic in scope, of romance, political struggle, deception, and desire.A page turner. Written with a spare style and fitting together like a complex puzzle, the unexpected turns, excitement, and realistic dialogue authentically capture Scotland and Upper Canada in the 1830s.