~ A Memoir
Squirrel Pie
Detroit is a thriving blue-collar town in the 1970s, an era when alcoholism and dysfunction thrive behind closed doors. When fifteen-year-old Debbie accepts a new babysitting job she has no idea that it will forever alter her life. Mac, father of the young children she cares for, slowly begins to groom Debbie with words of praise and flattery.
Longing for emotional connection she agrees to run away with Mac, only to find herself trapped in desperate poverty with a violent alcoholic. She raises three children on roadkill meals and makes herself small and compliant, waiting for someone to save her.
When Mac’s violence threatens more than just Debbie's life, she discovers the strength to say, “No more.” Little does she know, however, that leaving her abuser will involve a kidnapping, a murder, and an interstate FBI manhunt.
Squirrel Pie is a true story of the painful realities around abuse, addiction, mental illness, and generational trauma. It is also a success story; a story in which perseverance, resilience, compassion, and unexpected allies lead Debbie to a life of healthy connections and choosing joy.
​Praise for Squirrel Pie
"Brannigan’s writing is evocative and powerful, and readers will be stunned at the raw, unfiltered accounts of the abuse she suffered for years. Domestic violence, kidnapping, and murder fuel this tension-filled narrative, all centered around one man’s determination to entrap and control a young girl. "
- Book Life, Editors Pick
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"Deborah's unique voice describes a host of dramatic, eye-opening personalities and encounters to power a memoir filled with revelation and reflection. The result is a heady ride through family relationships, a kidnapping, murder, and an interstate FBI manhunt that lead, surprisingly, to her freedom."
- Midwest Book Review
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"Wow, what a powerful and impactful memoir this story is. Deborah’s story is incredibly raw and filled with resilience, courage, and healing. I couldn’t put this story down as I watched the history of Deborah’s life unfold on these pages. Heart-wrenching but incredibly well written and so much more than just a memoir. If you are a memoir reader then this one is a must. I highly recommend it!"
- That BookAholic Gal
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"Debbie meets twenty-eight year old Mac, a shady father of two young kids who shows a lost teenaged girl some attention at just the right time. Her story is both harrowing and heroic, and although a hard one to read, it’s also a memoir worthy of merit and magnification."
- Purrfect Pages
The calling card clutched by a headless squirrel in Debbie's mailbox.