A psychological thriller executed to perfection with darkly nuanced textures, rich characterization and an instantly-arresting voice combined with the sort of wonderfully twisty commercial plotting that so energized The Silent Patient and The Woman in the Window.
THE SHADOWS
by Stacy Willingham
Macmillan, February 2022
THE SHADOWS is the story of Chloe Davis, a psychologist coming up on the 20th anniversary of the event that destroyed her family: the day when, as a 12 year old, she found a critical piece of evidence that proved her father was a serial killer, and which would lead to his being convicted for the murders of six teenage girls. And while the freight of those events has followed her like a shadow ever since, it’s also the thing she has spent her entire adult life fighting and overcoming. Now 32, Chloe seems to have won. She has built a thriving practice as a psychologist in Baton Rouge, (using her own childhood trauma to help other young, troubled girls), fostered a rich community of friends, has even managed to work through her trust issues, and is engaged to be married to a loving and supportive partner. But behind those hopeful outlines of a normal, happy life lurk paranoia, unhealthy choices, and the steady ticking of dread that, at any moment, Chloe’s carefully-constructed equilibrium might come crashing down around her… And on the eve of that 20th anniversary, it does…
Stacy Willingham is 29. She studied journalism at the University of Georgia and holds an MFA from the Savannah College of Art & Design.
Julian Warner, a father at last, wrestles with a question his husband posed: what will you tell our son about the people you came from, now that they’re gone? Finding the answers takes Julian back in time to Eisenhower’s immigration border raids, to an epistolary love affair during the Vietnam War, crumbling marriages, queer migrations to Cambridge and New York, up to the disorienting polarization of Obama’s second term. And in these answers lies a hope: that by uncloseting ourselves—as immigrants, smart women, gay people—we find power in empathy. This is a novel that tackles timely issues like immigration and gay adoption. The story moves from a 1950s cattle ranch up to present day Houston and portrays not only a family, but a state, and a country.
Pulga has his dreams. Chico has his grief. Pequeña has her pride. And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they’ve grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home. Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life—if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them. And the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go. In this striking portrait of lives torn apart, the plight of migrants at the U.S. southern border is brought to light through poignant, vivid storytelling. An epic journey of danger, resilience, heartache, and hope.
To help steer her friends away from high school drama, Mary Porter-Malcolm creates the Scoundrel Survival Guide. Based on her knowledge of classic literature, Mary is confident that she and her friends will avoid unworthy suitors. But despite her best efforts, Mary finds herself falling for the same bad boy she warned all her friends against. If Mary wants a happy ending for herself, she must admit that true life (and love) is messier than fiction. BY THE BOOK is perfect for readers who enjoy their YA romances sweet, funny, and with a « classic » happy ending.
The high street is dying, and with it, Rupert’s shop ‘the Chest of Small Wonders’, which he has run for decades. Most people won’t miss it. But for teenager Kwasi, the Chest is a refuge he can’t live without, where he finds respite from school bullies and his inescapable aunties (who may or may not have overstayed their visas) at home. Rupert is a man whose home feels too empty: he has lost his way since the death of his wife, trying to remain in the happiness they shared by retreating into a world of drugs. An unlikely friendship develops between Rupert and Kwasi, a relationship which changes over time as well as changes them. But as politics engulfs the shop, both face difficult choices that will force them to confront their prejudices.