Publication Date: July 15, 2025
From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, a wrenching but life-affirming novel based on a true story of survival, friendship, and redemption. Set in the turbulent Vietnam era in the All-American city of Buffalo, New York, six girls are condemned to forced labor in the laundry of a Catholic reform school.
In 1968 we meet six teens confined at the Good Shepherd—a dark and secretive institution controlled by Sisters of Charity nuns—locked away merely for being gay, pregnant, or simply unruly.
Mairin— free-spirited daughter of Irish immigrants, committed to keep her safe from her stepfather.
Angela—denounced for her attraction to girls, sent to the nuns for reform, but instead found herself the victim of a predator.
Helen—the daughter of intellectuals detained in Communist China, she saw her “temporary” stay at the Good Shepherd stretch into years.
Odessa—caught up in a police dragnet over a racial incident, she found the physical and mental toughness to endure her sentence.
Denise—sentenced for brawling in a foster home, she dared to dream of a better life.
Janice—deeply insecure, she couldn’t decide where her loyalty lay—except when it came to her friend Kay, who would never outgrow her childlike dependency.
Sister Bernadette—rescued from a dreadful childhood, she owed her loyalty to the Sisters of Charity even as her conscience weighed on her.
Wayward Girls is a haunting but thrilling tale of hope, solidarity, and the enduring strength of young women who find the courage to break free and find redemption…and justice.
With her brother drafted to Vietnam and her best friend sent away with an unplanned pregnancy, Mairin’s life is full of change.
Being sent to the local Catholic reform school definitely wasn’t in her plans. Stuck working in the laundry, she meets an eclectic group of girls.
Their shared story of survival comes to life in the hands of author Susan Wiggs. Wayward Girls offers an immersive trip to Buffalo in 1968, providing a compelling look as they try to survive the horrifying treatment at the hands of the nuns.
The character development offers a solid connection for readers. United by a common goal, the girls find hope. Discarded by society for a number of reasons, their friendships illustrate an innate desire for survival.
Wayward Girls delivers a thought-provoking journey behind the bars of Good Shepherd and the young women yearning to be set free.
Susan Wiggs is the author of more than fifty novels, including the beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series and the recent New York Times bestsellers The Lost and Found Bookshop, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, and Family Tree. Her award-winning books have been translated into two dozen languages. She lives with her husband on an island in Washington State’s Puget Sound.
Amy, thank you so much for this insightful, delightful review. I cherish readers like you who carry the “good book alert” message far and wide! Cheers, Susan Wiggs