East of Troost

“The pace was perfect, and there was never a dull moment. The momentum suited the story exceptionally well. Ellen Barker wrote an emotive tale with a fascinating protagonist and a powerful message.”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

“Rarely does a debut novel succeed on multiple levels, but Ellen Barker’s East of Troost is not your ordinary fare. Barker’s story speaks deeply of grief and comfort, prejudice and reconciliation, isolation and community. Much enjoyed and highly recommended.”
—Drew Hill, author of Crossing the Tracks

“Ellen Barker has written a book that should give women of a certain age and privilege a lot to think about. What happens when you try to go home again, and what can you learn in the process?”
—Beth Lisick, author of Edie on the Green Screen and New York Times bestseller Everyone into the Pool

“A quiet, candid recalibration of memories against a changed landscape, Ellen Barker’s East of Troost is a journey both touching and powerful, reminding us how gentle courage and faith in humanity can overcome the fear of what divides.”
—Lorraine Devon Wilke, author of The Alchemy of Noise

“The chapters in Ellen Barker’s timely novel East of Troost read like entries in a diary—a year in the life of a white woman who decides to move into a black neighborhood. Why does she do this? Will she and her neighbors get along? We keep reading, eager to find out.”
—Jill McCroskey Coupe, author of Beginning with Cannonballs

Ellen Barker grew up in Kansas City during a period of demographic upheaval, and she returns there in her novels. She has a bachelor’s degree in urban studies from Washington University in Saint Louis, where she developed a passion for how cities work, and don’t. She began her career as an urban planner, then spent many years working for large consulting firms, first as a writer-editor and later managing large data systems. Her volunteer work involves years of pet-assisted therapy with children in “the system,” both foster care and prison. She is the author of East of Troost, which introduced readers to the neighborhood where The Breaks takes place, and Still Needs Work, which takes place in the same area. She now lives in Los Altos, California, with her husband and their German shepherd, Boris, who is the inspiration for the dog in this novel.

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