Haven Kimmel writes with an unusual blend of wit and honey, poetry and charm. The Solace of Leaving Early, her first novel, sparkles with intelligence and imagination, and she has a perfectly light touch — leavening her darker themes with subtlety and humor, and never underestimating her reader. Langston and Amos, the protagonists, can be prickly, frustrating creatures, but they are portrayed with empathy and real warmth. Addressing questions of faith and grief with philosophy, absurdity, and love, The Solace of Leaving Early is an absorbing story from a most intriguing writer. Jill, Powells.com

In her rich and nuanced debut novel, Haven Kimmel brings to life two irresistible people at odds with their small-town lives and with each other.

Langston Braverman does not come home to Haddington, Indiana, because she is searching for a simpler life. Having just walked out of her Ph.D. oral exams and abandoned the remains of a disastrous affair, she has retreated to her parents' attic to nurse a bruised heart and maybe even write a great American novel. It does not escape her attention that the town is abuzz with the death of her childhood friend, Alice, but not even this morsel of intrigue can rouse Langston from her self-imposed existential dilemma.

A few houses down Plum Street, Amos Townsend is obsessed with Alice's murder and his inability to stop it from happening. A preacher struggling with his role as a spiritual leader after suffering a profound crisis of faith, he finds comfort in helping Alice's two small girls, who have renamed themselves Immaculata and Epiphany. When the children claim to speak to the Virgin Mary in the backyard tree, Amos and Langston become adversaries in their attempts to protect the girls, failing to recognize that they are on the same side.

Told with remarkable wit and sweeping empathy, The Solace of Leaving Early is the story of finding our better selves through accepting the shortcomings of others. With gentle humor, beautiful prose, and a warm empathy for the buried wounds of the human heart, Haven Kimmel has created an unforgettable and wise debut.

"[I]ntelligent and compassionate....[Kimmel] proves a wise, compassionate and often very witty storyteller whose affection for her characters is contagious." Publishers Weekly

"Kimmel's debut novel boasts vast theological and philosophical thought as well as unusual but compelling characters." Booklist

"Oddball characters, drastic events, the loftiest of ideas, and the peccadilloes of small town life combine to mesmerizing effect in Haven Kimmel's wonderful novel. She is a literary alchemist of the highest order." Jenny McPhee, author of The Center of Things

"Through masterly interior and exterior dialog, Kimmel devises a heartwarming story about troubled individuals who struggle with their problems while finding solace and a degree of peace in one another. Highly recommended." Library Journal

"Some of the particulars are compelling, but explanations for characters' behavior are buried in secrets too long kept from the reader, and the centrality of Langston...makes it just about impossible to believe in Kimmel's agitated souls, or much care what happens to them." Kirkus Reviews

"Eureka! Here's an utterly original book. The Solace of Leaving Early manages to be both a fiercely intelligent novel and a sweet, quirky love story all at once. And as she proved in A Girl Named Zippy, Haven Kimmel can do anything she wants with language." Lee Smith, author of Oral History

Haven Kimmel is the author of the memoir A Girl Named Zippy. She studied English and creative writing at Ball State University and North Carolina State University. She also attended seminary at the Earlham School of Religion. She lives in Durham, North Carolina.