by Dawn Turner
First published 2026
Dr. Langdon Blaque wants to escape the chaos of his emergency room. He convinces his wife Josephine, a lawyer wary of suburban life, to leave their Chicago condo for Majestic Hills, a predominantly white subdivision. They agree to try it for one year. The neighbors welcome them warmly at first. Josephine remembers her father's stories about Jim Crow and sundown towns, but she gives the experiment a chance. Then a terrible crime shatters the community's sense of safety. The Blaques become the focus of mounting tensions as neighbors turn against each other. Prejudices surface. The threat of violence grows. As their one-year deadline approaches, Langdon and Josephine face an impossible choice. The move that was supposed to bring them peace now threatens their marriage, their future, and their lives.
Genres: domestic-fiction, american-fiction, contemporary, adult, adult-fiction, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotionally-charged, suspenseful, tense, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, impossible-choice, mounting-tension, social-commentary
Setting: Chicago, Majestic Hills
Period: Contemporary
336 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: racism, violence