Telling the Bees

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A lifelong beekeeper, Albert Honig is deeply acquainted with the ways and workings of the hives. He knows that bees dislike wool clothing and foul language; that the sweetest honey is made from the blooms of eucalyptus; and that bees are at their gentlest in a swarm. But Albert is less versed in the ways of people, especially his beautiful, courageous, and secretive friend Claire.

A friend and neighbor since childhood, Claire was a hovering presence—and then a glaring absence—in Alberts life, a change that has never been reconciled. When she is killed in a seemingly senseless accident during a burglary gone wrong, Albert is haunted by the loss. In the aftermath of this tragedy, he is left to piece together the events of their lives to attempt to make sense of their shared past and the silence that persisted between them for a decade before her death. What Albert comes to learn is that Claires secrets were far darker than anything he could have imagined...

Praise for Telling the Bees

 

“[A] stately and beautiful novel . . . Only a superhuman reader will be able to resist foraging through the house looking for that half-eaten jar of honey.”—Carolyn See, Washington Post

 

“Elegantly crafted . . . While readers are likely to find themselves longing for a plate of buttered toast and honey, theres nothing ‘cozy about Telling the Bees—its downright gorgeous.”—The Christian Science Monitor

 

“Elegiac in its tone, Telling the Bees is a quiet, meditative novel, dressed up as a murder mystery, but more geared towards examining the intricacies of the human condition and the power of secrets when voiced than in identifying who killed Claire. As Albert slowly sifts through his fragile memories of the past, patient readers will be rewarded with a rich story that softly stings and is utterly unforgettable.”—BookPage

 

“Reminiscent of Marilynne Robinsons Gilead, Heskeths debut explores family secrets and end-of-life reflections. The authors exceptional storytelling skills allow us not only to understand Alberts feelings, but to experience those emotions right along with him. Readers in search of a heartfelt, thought-provoking novel will find what they are looking for in this journey through the life of an unassuming apiarist who knows more about his reclusive neighbors than anyone could guess.”—Library Journal (starred review)

 

“Elegiac in its tone, Telling the Bees is a quiet, meditative novel, dressed up as a murder mystery, but more geared towards examining the intricacies of the human condition and the power of secrets when voiced than in identifying who killed Claire. As Albert slowly sifts through his fragile memories of the past, patient readers will be rewarded with a rich story that softly stings and is utterly unforgettable.”—BookPage

 

“In her invention of the singular Mr. Honig (and his life, from an early age) Hesketh has created a stubborn and enigmatic and duplicitously withholding character whose life story is nonetheless told richly, in turns melancholy, exhilarating, sociological, with a murder mystery and a deep appreciation for the stories we all construct for ourselves and for others.”—OC Weekly

"A story of shared history, secrets of omission, and revisited memories, Telling the Bees is nostalgic and hauntingly poetic.  Richly detailed and sparsely populated, Hesketh's debut novel relies on Albert's depth of narration and an enlightening amount of apiology.  Reminiscent of the work of Karen Joy Fowler and Peter Orner, Telling the Bees reminds readers that even quiet hives are deceptively active."—Booklist

"Telling the Bees is a marvel. With infinite compassion and perfect pitch, Peggy Hesketh has written an American classic: the inadvertent examination of a life unlived, told by the 80-year-old beekeeper who didn't live it. It's a wonderful read for anyone who loves a great and unforgettable story told well."—Elizabeth George, New York Times-bestselling author of the Inspector Lynley series

 

"What a wonderful novel!  The voice is so masterfully done, the mysteries of life and death so compellingly evoked.  But best of all is the way Telling the Bees reminds us that even the quietest life will still hold its full measure of drama and passion." —Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times-bestselling author of The Jane Austen Book Club

"In Peggy Hesketh's poignant debut novel, Telling the Bees, the lasting effects of long held secrets is at the core of beekeeper Albert Honig's otherwise quiet world.  In the twilight of his life, Honig is haunted by the past memories of his long-time neighbors. Rich in detail, Hesketh has crafted a thoughtful, compelling story of loss and regret and the unforeseeable consequences that come when the truth is finally revealed.  A wonderful read." —Gail Tsukiyama, author of A Hundred Flowers

"Telling the Bees is a charming tale of a bygone era evoking the power of the past to influence the future. Hesketh's ability to create an evocative narrative will leave readers eager to read more by this talented writer."—Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Solomon's Oak and Finding Casey

“With infinite compassion and perfect pitch, Peggy Hesketh has written an American classic.”—Elizabeth George

“Some have compared Telling the Bees, Peggy Heskeths first, stately and beautiful novel to The Remains of the Day, but to my mind it compares to the best of Elmore Leonard. There are murders here but much more than that: a series of glimpses into an entirely different and closed place…in addition to the murder-mystery part of this narrative, the bees add another entirely sweet layer of plot and character.”—The Washington Post

“ELEGIAC AND INTELLIGENT.”—Gordon McAlpine, author of Joy in Mudville

“WONDERFUL.”—Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author

“HEARTFELT [AND] THOUGHT-PROVOKING.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“POIGNANT.”—Gail Tsukiyama, author of A Hundred Flowers

“CHARMING.”—Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Solomons Oak

“UTTERLY UNFORGETTABLE.”—BookPage

“DOWNRIGHT GORGEOUS.”—The Christian Science Monitor

and#8220;With infinite compassion and perfect pitch, Peggy Hesketh has written an American classic.and#8221;and#8212;Elizabeth George

and#8220;Some have compared Telling the Bees, Peggy Heskethand#8217;s first, stately and beautiful novel to The Remains of the Day, but to my mind it compares to the best of Elmore Leonard. There are murders here but much more than that: a series of glimpses into an entirely different and closed placeand#8230;in addition to the murder-mystery part of this narrative, the bees add another entirely sweet layer of plot and character.and#8221;and#8212;The Washington Post

and#8220;ELEGIAC AND INTELLIGENT.and#8221;and#8212;Gordon McAlpine, author of Joy in Mudville

and#8220;WONDERFUL.and#8221;and#8212;Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author

and#8220;HEARTFELT [AND] THOUGHT-PROVOKING.and#8221;and#8212;Library Journal (starred review)

and#8220;POIGNANT.and#8221;and#8212;Gail Tsukiyama, author of A Hundred Flowers

and#8220;CHARMING.and#8221;and#8212;Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Solomonand#8217;s Oak

and#8220;UTTERLY UNFORGETTABLE.and#8221;and#8212;BookPage

and#8220;DOWNRIGHT GORGEOUS.and#8221;and#8212;The Christian Science Monitor

With echoes of The Remains of the Day, an elderly beekeeper looks back on his quiet life, and the secrets of a woman he never truly knew.

Albert Honigs most constant companions have always been his bees. A never-married octogenarian, he makes a modest living as a beekeeper, as his father and his fathers father did before him. Deeply acquainted with the workings of the hives, Albert is less versed in the ways of people, especially his friend Claire, whose presence and absence in his life have never been reconciled.

When Claire is killed in a seemingly senseless accident during a burglary gone wrong, Albert is haunted by the loss, and by the secrets and silence that hovered between them for so long. As he pieces together the memories of their shared history, he will come to learn the painful truths about Claires life, and the redemptive power of laying the past to rest.

Peggy Heskethand#8217;s writing has appeared in Calliope and Antietam Review; her short story and#147;A Madness of Twoand#8221; was selected by Elizabeth George for inclusion in the anthology Two of the Deadliest. A longtime journalist, Hesketh teaches writing and rhetoric at the University of California, Irvine. This is her first novel.