St. Paul, MN, 1946: As little girls, the Malone sisters relied on each other for companionship and affection as their mother remained distant, beating back the demons of her own mysterious childhood. Now, as young women ready to embrace promising futures, Eliza imagines a life of adventure and achievement, while far simpler hopes for family and happiness occupy Shannon. Instead, the closely-knit sisters endure two life-changing tragedies, and their powerful bonds of love and loyalty threaten to break under the weight of trauma and loss, secrets and misunderstandings. One sister leaves, possibly forever. Heartbroken and scarred from a battle with tuberculosis, the other vows to never let go of the invisible thread that runs between them— and in the course of her journey, she discovers the true meaning of family. "There are so many issues in this beautifully written book.... This is one of those rare novels that forces you to sit for a few minutes after you've finished reading it until you are ready to return to the real world." -Mary Ann Grossman, Twin Cities Pioneer Press "In skillful, straightforward prose, Welch sets her character-driven narrative against the backdrop of postwar societal changes...Addictive...An engaging and poignant historical novel." -Kirkus Reviews "Readers who undertake the journey of this evolving relationship between two sisters from childhood to adulthood will find the A Thread So Fine lassos the heart with stories of close connections tested by life's progression. Readers of women's fiction...will relish this engrossing saga of change and survival." -Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review "A Thread So Fine is a compelling tale of a family undone and remade. Welch, the author, perfectly captures the Midwest upper class of the mid-20th century and (slyly) foreshadows the feminist issues that are at the forefront of today." -Christy McDanold, Owner, Secret Garden Books, Seattle