In 1970s and '80s Detroit, the city wrestles with an unending economic downturn, increasing violence, and white exodus to the suburbs. Amid all of this is twentysomething Mary who is just trying to grapple with her identity in a world filled with uncertainty. In this collection of linked stories, we follow Mary as she seeks to cope with and withstand hardship and confront her fears of exploitation, abuse, and death. Along the way, she delves into the complex yet nurturing relationships with her family and friends who teach her to love better, live fuller, and question power. The Patron Saint of Lost Girls presents an unflinching tale of life in the late twentieth-century postindustrial Midwest. "Although each piece can stand entirely on its own, together these brief glimpses weave a rich tapestry of a life, incorporating themes of family and romance, work and destitution, inspiration and addiction, determination and loss ... Overall, the author delivers these stories with poetic grace, resulting in a book that will linger in the reader's mind long after the final page." - Starred Review, Kirkus Review "Maureen Aitken's The Patron Saint of Lost Girls pretends to be a collection of short stories but is not. Instead, advantages of both short-story and novel formats are fused into a mutation which is neither. By the time this subterfuge is exposed, it is more deserving of a standing ovation than an apology. Given the astounding result of Aitken's web of independent yet intimately related stories, The Patron Saint of Lost Girls reveals a previously underexplored genre, one that storytellers have failed to take advantage of. Its rare technique is far worthier of being the norm than the exception." - Starred Review, Linda Thorlakson, Foreword Review "In these stories, Aitken manages to write prose that sings along the page, leading us through pain, tragedy, and finding oneself in the most beautiful way possible ... The world has been aching for a piece of literature that touches upon the topics that Aitken covers throughout the collection ... Aitken's The Patron Saint of Lost Girls is a moving examination of the complex emotions that come along with womanhood, poverty, and growing up in an unforgiving world ... Each story can stand on its own, but together they paint an unforgettable work of art." - Téa Franco, Heavy Feather Review "Mary's experiences are a microcosm of American life ("This was America. Who doesn't know an addict but the addict himself?"), and are an enriching way to absorb not only the protagonist in this series of sparkling vignettes, but the pulse of American society as a whole ... Maureen Aitken has produced a masterpiece highly recommended not only for fans of literary fiction (and most deserving of being the Nilsen Prize for a First Novel Winner), but for anyone seeking a winning, accessible and compelling portrait of growing up female in Detroit in an era where everything familiar is changing." - Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review. "There are more than a few moments of reckoning in this fine collection of linked stories ... Aitken, who teaches at the University of Minnesota, ultimately gets her character, following yet another guy, to the Twin Cities (cold comfort!), where her ever more powerful brew of sharp comedy and sharper pathos almost -- almost -- prepares us for her heartbreaking last chapter." - - Ellen Akins, Star Tribune Award-winning stories about growing up and finding resiliency amid uncertainty. Maureen Aitken is the author of The Patron Saint of Lost Girls , which was the recipient of the Nilsen Prize and a Foreword INDIES gold prize for general fiction and was ranked in the Kirkus Best Indie Books of 2019. Aitken's short stories have appeared in numerous publications―including Intima , New Letters , and Penmen Review―and were nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Aitken teaches writing at the University of Minnesota and previously taught at Hamline University.