Exchange Of Heart

Since the sudden death of his younger sister, Munro Maddux has been stuck. Flashbacks. Anger. Chest pains. And a voice - taunting, barking, biting - that his counsellor calls 'the Coyote'. Munro knows a student exchange will not be the stuff of Disney movies. But in Australia he intends to move beyond his troubled past. Forced by his new school to join a volunteer program, Munro discovers the Coyote is silenced in one place- Fair Go, an assisted living residence in Brisbane's west, where Munro gets to know his team of residents- dogged designer Bernie; sleeping refugee Shah; would-be wedded couple Blake and Dale; comic creator Iggy; and self-defence tutor Florence. As this unlikely group shows Munro the sights, Munro's notion of what it means to be a big brother begins to change. But the burden Munro carries is not so easily cast aside, and unexpected developments at Fair Go prompt a devastating flashback that threatens to end the student exchange. Will the Coyote ultimately triumph? Or can Munro find the fortitude necessary to mend his heart? 'Funny-sad, authentic and uplifting - Groth is a writer who can pivot from heartbreak to humour without missing a beat.' Vikki Wakefield, author of All I Ever Wanted