Small Mercies

Ever wonder how a family holds itself together when tragedy strikes? What happens when a decade-old secret threatens to tear apart the very bonds of loyalty and love that define them? This story plunges you into the heart of a tight-knit Irish-American family on Staten Island. You’ll follow the Amendola family as they grapple with the sudden death of their matriarch and the mysterious disappearance of their youngest son on the same day. Discover how grief, long-held resentments, and the weight of unspoken truths force them to confront who they truly are, both to each other and to themselves.

Eddie Joyce is a Staten Island native whose debut novel, Small Mercies, was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence. He drew upon his own experiences growing up in a large Irish Catholic family and his work as a lawyer to craft this powerful story of community, grief, and redemption. Joyce's deep understanding of his hometown's culture and its people gives his writing an authentic and moving voice, exploring the bonds that hold a family together through tragedy.