Rachel, the mother of the aging professor Thomas Vanderlinden, shared her life with two men. Both went by the name of Rowland Vanderlinden. The first husband went abroad and never returned. The second, whom Rachel also unquestioningly accepted as her husband, was a mystery.

In an attempt to understand his mother’s adventurous decisions regarding love and marriage, Thomas sets out on a journey to the far reaches of the Pacific to find the first Rowland, and his real father. As the mystery of the two Rowlands unfolds throughout the novel, so too does a fascinating portrait of one woman and the choices she makes. Set before a backdrop of fantastical places, The Dutch Wife is a profound meditation on the nature of love.

 Eric McCormack was born in a small village in Scotland. He moved to Canada in 1966 and attended the University of Manitoba. He taught English for more than thirty years at St. Jerome’s College at the University of Waterloo, specializing in seventeenth-century and contemporary literature. He has been a finalist for the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Governor General’s Award. He lives in Kingston, Ontario.

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“A great and hugely enjoyable read.” - National Post
“The Dutch Wife is a well-written modern epic … its incredible events are told with convincing detail, but without the slightest restraint.” - The Gazette (Montreal)
“A deeply humane and compassionate book that looks at love in all its mystery and splendour…. It’s also very funny … Eric McCormack fans will howl in delight.” - The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)
“McCormack’s novels continue to ricochet around your consciousness long after the last page has been read.” - Ottawa Citizen
“[A] witty, gently fantastic book.” - Quill & Quire