First published 2025
Mona Zahid wakes up on Thanksgiving morning to chaos in her Manhattan apartment. Guests crowd the rooms. Her in-laws wait outside her bedroom door. She still fights with her husband. In just weeks she must begin rehearsals as Shakespeare's Cleopatra, the most demanding role in theater. Mona makes an impulsive decision. She grabs the family dog and bolts from the apartment, claiming she forgot to buy parsley. Her real destination is Milton Katz, her former mentor who founded a legendary theater company before sexual misconduct accusations forced him out. What starts as an escape becomes an overnight journey through her past. Mona confronts her creative abilities and their limits. She faces everyone she has ever loved. The novel explores how people perform roles to survive daily life and how great theatrical roles can teach us to live.
Genres: fiction, drama, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Manhattan, New York
Period: Thanksgiving
309 pages · Kindle Edition · Liveright