Rebecca Road – Now Available!
In 1956 Scituate, Massachusetts, young Irish American widow Cathe Flanagan has grown used to hardship and solitude along the storm‑lashed coast. When a violent nor’easter drives the battered freighter Etrusco onto the rocks, her town becomes a refuge for rescued Italian sailors. Though she keeps to herself, Cathe is surprised when one of the newcomers begins to break through her guarded routine and rekindle something she thought lost.
But as her heart opens, tragedy strikes when Cathe defends herself against a local threat, leaving her shaken and reliant on the foreign sailor’s comfort. With his departure inevitable, she faces the pain of loving someone she may soon lose. Inspired by a true event, this emotional story explores resilience, second chances, and the pull of the sea on those who live beside it.
Listen to Mary Ford’s Interviews
95.9 WATD Radio
March 9, 2026 – Former journalist and current author Mary Ford speaks with WATD’s Christine James about her latest book, “Rebecca Road,” a historical fiction based on the crash of the Italian freighter ETRUSCO, of the coast of Scituate on St. Patrick’s Eve in 1956.
Stoughton Writers Group
From Reporter to Author with Mary Ford; Stoughton Writers Group founder Mike Hardman interviews Mary Ford.
Review – Rebecca Road
In the face of grief’s devastation, Rebecca Road explores the fundamental concepts of self-reliance, resilience, and the potential for love. The central character, Cathe Flanagan, embodies the quiet strength of a woman who has been impacted by war, widowhood, and moral conflict. Her encounter with the Italian sailor who has been shipwrecked is not merely romantic; it is a test of trust, forgiveness, and healing. Ford’s delicate navigation of this emotional terrain elucidates the vulnerability and dignity that are inherent in the process of beginning anew. Click here for full review
Click here for more book reviews on Rebecca Road
Photo: Courtesy of the Scituate Historical Society
About Mary Ford
Author & Former Editor
Mary Ford is a retired, award-winning journalist who spent twenty-eight years as the editor of two successful, small-town newspapers in Massachusetts. She lives in Scituate, Mass. with her English Cocker Spaniel, George. “Rebecca Road” is Mary’s second novel. Her first novel “Boy at the Crossroads” was published in 2021.
Mary is available to give book talks and signings, and would very much like her book to be part of a book club read.
Questions or Comments? Contact Mary here.
Rebecca Road
Now available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle ebook
Mary’s First Novel: Boy at the Crossroads
At only thirteen years old—arrested for being part of the Mercury Gang because the boys only stole Mercury sedans—Conley Ford, on a whim, decides to run out on probation, skip school, and put his thumb out instead.
Follow Conley on a journey to find his way and make a life in a world that never quite feels like home. Based on his true story as a runaway in the 1950’s, the book is sure to make you think, laugh, and pull on your heartstrings.
Review – Boy at the Crossroads
The pace of the narrative, highlighted by the insertion of colorful details and revealing memories, keeps the reader fully absorbed to the very end. It’s a tale of resilience that would appeal to anybody from a young adult starting out in life, to a senior like me, looking back at memories of life’s challenges. It’s a “2 thumbs up” read! Full review here>>
Click here for more book reviews on Boy at the Crossroads
Interviews on First Novel, Boy at the Crossroads
Cohasset Common
August 30, 2021 – Mary Ford is featured in this episode of Cohasset Common, hosted by Christopher Senior, Town Manager.
Someone You Should Know
June 7, 2021 – Scott Stevenson interviews Mary Ford in this episode of “Someone You Should Know”
WATD 95.9 FM, Sunday April 18 interview with Mary Ford.
A Behind-the-Book Interview with Mary
Publisher Paper Raven Books interviewed author Mary Ford on the release of her first novel “Boy at the Crossroads: From Teenage Runaway to Class President.”
