by Anita Shreve
First published 2005
Andrew comes back to his hometown after years away, planning to stay just long enough for his mother's funeral. Instead he finds himself pulled toward the house next door where Eden Close still lives. Eden was the beautiful girl he grew up with, an adopted child who learned early how to navigate her unwanting mother and demanding father. She knew how to fit in with Andrew and his friends, first as a tomboy, later through seduction. Then came that sweltering night seventeen years ago when gunshots and screams shattered the darkness. Mr. Close died and Eden lost her sight. Now Andrew begins piecing together what really happened that night. He discovers the twisted dynamics between husband, wife, and the girl caught between them. As he uncovers Eden's buried past, Andrew must also face his own complicated feelings for her and the hold she has always had on him.
Genres: romance, mystery, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Eden Close, Hometown
Period: 17 Years Ago
Paperback · Belfond
Content warnings: abuse, domestic-violence, mental-illness