When Ellen Grier’s husband loses his job, she has little choice but to agree to his suggestion that they and their children move in with his parents on Vinegar Hill.

Their new home is more stifling than she feared – a loveless place where dark secrets lurk behind a façade of false piety, and calculated cruelty is routine. Ellen’s spirit is close to

'A modern-day Little House on the Prarie gone mad... Manette Ansay is a powerful storyteller with lyrical gifts and a wry, observant eye' - Amy Tan

'Ansay transcends both feminist epic and Midwestern gothic to achieve, finally, the lunar world of tragedy. This world is lit by the measured beauty of her prose, and the book's final line is worth the pain it takes to get there' - New Yorker

"From the first page of ‘Vinegar Hill’ you can actually feel how oppressed Ellen feels, surrounded by criticism at every turn, Ellen begins to feel more and more trapped, she finds herself falling out of love with James, it seems that now James is back in the family bosom, Ellen sees how much he is controlled by his family.

Reader Review

‘Vinegar Hill’ is a story about secrets, the secrets surrounding Mary Margaret and Fritz, they give off the image of a perfect family, regularly going to church to and consulting with the intimidating Father Bork.

‘Vinegar Hill’ is a easy read, a well written story which pulls you in from page one, I found myself at various parts shaking my head at the way Fritz treated James, the way Mary Margaret treated Ellen, by the end of the book I so wanted Ellen to leave that house, the own downside was the abruptness of the ending, I felt there could have been more.
Highly recommended.

Rating: 9/10 (for the abruptness of the ending)"

Paula McGerr

- Discussion Questions -

- Discover the inspiration behind Vinegar Hill -

- Visit Manette Ansay's Website -

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- Buy the book -