First published 2023
Ruth Sterling escaped an abusive household and dangerous boyfriend as a pregnant teenager. She built a new existence for herself and her baby Catherine, but twenty years later she still keeps them both ready to disappear without warning. Ruth never lets Catherine establish deep connections or permanent ties. Now Catherine has reached adulthood and wants independence. Her mother fights this with everything she has, though her true motivations remain hidden. The two women have survived together against outside threats for decades, yet they harbor fundamental mysteries about each other. Ruth's desperate campaign to keep Catherine close begins to crack the false reality she has maintained. Mother and daughter start manipulating each other through lies and misdirection. Each woman conceals dangerous truths. The question becomes which of them poses the greater threat. Catherine craves the normal life her mother has always denied her. Ruth believes separation will destroy them both. Their conflict forces long-buried secrets into the open and tests the boundaries of maternal love.
Genres: domestic-fiction, contemporary, adult, adult-fiction, psychological-thriller, family-drama
Vibes: dark, intimate, suspenseful, tension-filled, thought-provoking
Tropes: codependency, secrets-and-lies, toxic-relationship, unreliable-narrator
368 pages · Paperback · St. Martin's Griffin
Content warnings: abuse, domestic-violence, emotional-abuse