Age of Consent: A Novel [Paperback]

Thirty years ago, June was a young widow with a hopeless crush on Craig Kirtz, a disc jockey at a local rock station. To her surprise, he struck up a friendship with her that seemed headed for something more. But it was June’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Bobbie, whom Craig had wanted all along.
 
Now an adult, Bobbie has tried to keep the illicit relationship buried safely in the past. But when she discovers that Craig had similarly targeted other young girls, she returns home after a long absence with a singular purpose: to bring Craig to trial. Her efforts are greeted with hostility: June remembers things differently than Bobbie, and Craig insists he has done nothing wrong. As their traumatic history is relived in the courtroom, Bobbie and June must face the choices they made and try to make sense of the pain they endured while seeking justice at long last.“Powerful. . . . Unique and unflinching.” —Bustle

“Age of Consent is spellbinding.” —Whitney Otto, author of Eight Girls Taking Pictures 

“Powerful. . . . Absorbing and timely.” —New York Journal of Books
 
“This thrilling novel forces us to ask to whom do we owe our loyalties—to those we love, or to ourselves.” —Mary Morris, author of The Jazz Palace

“Leimbach’s structure is brilliant. . . The power and beauty of Leimbach’s writing is a balm even in the story’s darkest moments.”—The Connecticut Post

“A nuanced portrayal of a mother and daughter at once linked and divided by a ferociously exploitative man. . . . The novel brings memorable depth to issues often oversimplified; Leimbach’s scenes are convincing, whether they portray harrowing abuse or subtle moments of healing.” —Publishers Weekly

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