J. W. Ironmonger, author of Coincidence, on tour February/March 2014

About Coincidence

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (February 18, 2014)

What determines the course of our lives? Chance . . . or destiny?

On Midsummer’s Day, 1982, three-year-old Azalea Ives is found alone at a seaside fairground.

One year later, her mother’s body washes up on a beach—her link to Azalea unnoticed.

On Midsummer’s Day, 1992, her adoptive parents are killed in a Ugandan rebel uprising; Azalea is narrowly rescued by a figure from her past.

Terrified that she, too, will meet her fate on Midsummer’s Day, Azalea approaches Thomas Post, an expert in debunking coincidences. Azalea’s past, he insists, is random—but as Midsummer’s Day approaches, he worries that she may bring fate upon herself.

“Playful, inventive, and fast-paced, Coincidence sweeps you up and carries you along. . . .Spinning theories and spilling revelations, its characters ponder weighty questions: fate vs. free will, rationalism vs. serendipity, synchronicity vs. random chance. But the droll, sharp-witted narrator spins this tale with the lightest of touches, all the way to its perfect ending. I adored this book.” —Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train

“An amazing journey. . . . Is it pure coincidence that turns Azalea Ives into Azalea Folley and then Azalea Lewis? Or is Azalea the victim of a profound plan? Read this brainy, delightful novel and decide for yourself.” —Margot Livesey, New York Times bestselling author of The Flight of Gemma Hardy

“A haunting, lyrical meditation on how fates are woven together, for better or worse.” —Simon Van Booy, author of The Illusion of Separateness

About J. W. Ironmonger

J. W. Ironmonger was born and raised in East Africa. This is his first novel published in the United States. He lives in rural Shropshire, England, with his wife, Sue.

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