The Donora Story Collection

After the Fog Kathleen Shoop book cover
Kathleen Shoop The Strongman and the Mermaid Book Cover

The Award Winning and Bestselling novel, After the Fog, heads up this set of books but they can be read in any order. The novels span the years between 1900 and 1955 with narrator elements set in present day. The collection has some overlapping characters (Patryk, the narrator in The Strongman and the Mermaid, The Magician, The Circus Dancer, and The Undertaker is one example) but it is Donora, Pennsylvania, its grit, mystery, lore, and pride of its people that ties each of the stories together. Besides being the setting, readers find that Donora is the series’ most mesmerizing character. The Tiny Historical Story, “Melonhead,” is also set in Donora and the son of the title character stars as one of Stan Musial’s friends in The Magician.

Praise for After the Fog

“This is a well-written story set authentically in a historic place and time, around an intricate plot which includes most of the elements that provide for a good “soap opera,” or a book that would be accepted by Oprah Winfrey.” — Historical Novel Society

 

“WOW! What a truly amazing story! I was amazed how Ms. Shoop managed to wrap a totally believable storyline around this tragic [true] incident. I thought the writing was flawless…”  — Book Princess Sophia–Goodreads

Praise for The Strongman and the Mermaid

“Every so often, a love story comes that your heart can’t let go. One of those love stories, for me, has been Mr. Darcy and Lizzy in Pride and Prejudice. Now Mary and Lukasz in The Strongman and the Mermaid will stay with me for a long time to come. I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate a long and beautiful tale of romance and struggle.”
— Ankita Shukla–Readers’ Favorite

 

“The plot structure is unusual and it has beautiful twists. I love stories with great characters and a well-developed conflict and I always want to see characters evolve through the conflict. It is something that this author does impeccably well. The conflict is indirectly introduced right away. The old man in hiding and the old book are elements that immediately aroused my curiosity, and the author transitions with skill, pulling the reader into the world of Donora and following the romance between Mary and Lukasz.”
— Romuald Dzemo—Readers’ Favorite