In Rebecca Chace’s new novel, Talking to the Wolf (Red Hen Press; 208 pages), three friends in their mid-50s—Val, Sasha, and Lauren—prepare for their thirty-fifth high school reunion while mourning the recent loss of the fourth member of their group, Cora. Val, a former aspiring rockstar, searches for a sense of purpose. Sasha, a successful scientist, faces a crucial grant meeting and a double mastectomy. Lauren is in a deteriorating marriage and struggles to connect with her stepchild. The story unfolds over a single day and is interwoven with flashbacks through each character’s point of view.