I squint at the X on Jackie’s treasure map. He taps it. “If it’s here, we’ve gotta find it.”

When the Briars’ new owners arrive in July 1919, they bring with them the spunky seven-year-old Jackie. He is far from his family and native roots in Canada’s wild west.

The only other child living on the vast estate is thirteen-year-old Emily. Her summer plans with friends at Jackson’s Point are dashed when she is tasked with looking after lonely Jackie.

Determined to make the best of it, Emily draws him into swimming, tree climbing, frog hunting, horseback riding—and books. Jackie’s choice of boy adventures drives Emily nuts, but her shared copy of Little Women is a treasure to cozy up to.

Yet it is her curiosity about Jackie’s books that leads them to uncover a catastrophe. Together, they set out to resolve it.

But if they succeed, what new challenges will life throw their way?

And those pesky Indigenous spirits Emily picked up last winter—they’re going wild.


The Briars Believed picks up where The Briars Between left off in the “Emily Twillum Adventures.” It can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

Inspired by the author’s family history, Emily’s story is a heartfelt tribute to the Briars estate, a coming-of-age saga set against the backdrop of a turbulent time in Canadian history.

If you love shows like CBC’s Anne with an E and the works of Louise Erdrich, you’ll feel right at home in this series.

“A captivating mix of history and storytelling.” The Georgina Post