Super Short Summary

The Unraveling of Mercy Louis by Keija Parssinen follows the story of Mercy, a star athlete in the small, evangelical Texas town of Port Sabine, who faces intense scrutiny and pressure when an abandoned infant is discovered. Amid the ensuing social and moral panic, marked by accusations and suspicion, Mercy grapples with her strict grandmother, her troubled relationship with her mother, and her personal desires, while trying to foster change in the town's treatment of girls. This book explores themes including religious fanaticism, maternal abandonment, and community hysteria related to an incident of baby abandonment.