Ottawa, 1876. When Elizabeth MacRae inherits her father’s mills along the Rideau River, she also inherits his legacy—the prosperity he built, and the harm it left behind. The same stone walls that made his name now suffocate the men who work within them. In a city slow to confront the human cost of ambition, Elizabeth imagines something different: clean air, safer labour, and reform shaped by compassion. With the help of Dr. Robert Ainslie, a physician unafraid to challenge convention, her efforts unsettle old loyalties and expose what progress demands. The Breath of Stone is a novel of inheritance and transformation, of a woman who redefines her father’s empire, and a city learning what it truly means to breathe. Kaye Phillips is a Canadian researcher and author exploring history and humanity through narrative storytelling and reflection. She is the founder of DeepSea Press, an independent Canadian publisher of historical fiction inspired by real places and imagined lives. Follow us for updates & new releases! Instagram: @deepseapress.ca Facebook: /deepseapress