The heartrending tale of a man on the verge of losing both his livelihood and his relationship with his only son.From a writer who's been praised for her'intelligence, heart, wit' (Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls):The Ice House follows the beleaguered MacKinnons as they weather the possible loss of the family business, a serious medical diagnosis and the slings and arrows of familial discord.Johnny MacKinnon is on the verge of losing it all. The ice factory he's run for decades is facing devastating fines following an accident and may have to close. He hasn't spoken to his son since Corran's heroin addiction finally drove Johnny to breaking point. And now, after a collapse on the factory floor, it appears Johnny may have a brain tumour. Johnny's been ordered to take it easy, but in some ways, he thinks, what's left to lose? Witty and heartbreaking, The Ice House is a vibrant portrait of multifaceted, exquisitely human characters that readers will not soon forget.

Laura Lee Smith is the author of the novel Heart of Palm. Her short fiction has appeared in Best American Short Stories,New Stories from the South: The Year's Best and New England Review, amongst other journals. She lives in Florida.