In The Ways of Heaven Michael Gervais tells Annie Goodwin's story in her voice:
"Slowly, but steadily, lucid memory began to replace my delirium. I was in my own little room. My possessions were all in their places. The sun was shining. I knew it was afternoon by the positioning of the shadows. Then the questions began. 'What day is it? How long have I been ill? Where is my family?' The last question sent a bolt of terror through me!"
Life in the mid-19th century was difficult. The Goodwins, an historical mariner family living in Chelsea, Maine, were no strangers to the life and death struggles of the time. In this book, young Annie has to come to terms with the grief she continually encounters. As a result, she develops a deep-seated skepticism regarding God and the afterlife. She wants very much to believe, but cannot seem to overcome those losses with the thin strand of faith that is always at the breaking point. Bolstered by mysterious encounters she moves through a tempest of heartache in a sea of desperate hope.
This story is based on facts researched by the author, Michael Gervais, who currently lives in the house in Chelsea where the Goodwins lived. Period newspaper articles, town records, and even the artifacts contained in the protagonist's family bible are woven into the underpinnings of the story. From this blend of biography and fiction, the reader will be left with a strong impression of daily life in that era and gain an indelible assurance of an unseen, guiding hand that transcends our comings and goings.