The Walking People, The Walking People

Mai Duggan has always known she was adopted, but it's not until her adoptive father, Matt, passes away that she learns the truth about her origins. Left behind is a letter revealing that Mai's birth mother, Nora Delaney, was part of An Lucht Siúil, the Irish Travelers. Nora fled Ireland as a teenager to escape a violent husband, entrusting her infant daughter to Matt for protection. Mai's world is suddenly filled with questions-about her roots, her mother, and the dangerous man Nora had spent her life hiding from. As Mai grapples with this revelation, she uncovers more about the mysterious Traveler community she never knew she belonged to. She also begins to confront her own latent clairvoyant abilities, a gift she never fully understood but that now seems tied to her heritage. Throughout the novel, Mai's perspective alternates with Nora's, offering a glimpse into the terror and courage it took for Nora to flee across an ocean, change her name, and start over.