Louise Joyner

Louise Joyner is the central character in this novel. She is Nancy and Eric’s oldest child and Mark’s sister. Louise went to college across the country from her childhood home in Charlotte. As an unmarried mother, she still lives in San Francisco because she does not want to be close to her family. She believes that her family chose her irresponsible younger brother over her and never told him no. Louise is a successful designer who struggles to be a better mother than she believes her mother was to her.

Louise is surprised when Mark calls her to say that their parents were both killed in a car crash. She travels home where she is forced to confront her relationship with her brother as they fight first over who should plan their parents’ funeral. They next fight over how they should go about cleaning out...