Alone in the classroom

Alone in the Classroom is a novel by Elizabeth Hay that spans generations and is set in Saskatchewan and the Ottawa Valley. The story centers on Connie Flood, a young teacher in 1929, and her student Michael Graves, who struggles with what might be an undiagnosed learning disorder. Their lives, and those of later generations, are darkened by the enigmatic and disturbing school principal, Parley Burns, whose strange behavior culminates in an attack that has long-lasting repercussions.

Years later, Connie's niece, Anne, becomes the narrator, attempting to unravel the mysteries of her aunt's past, including the unexplained deaths of two young girls and the principal's involvement. The novel is a complex exploration of family relationships, memory, love, hate, and how past traumas can affect the present.