by Peter Straub
First published 2000
Ned Dunstan approaches his thirty-fifth birthday expecting nothing more than another ordinary week. Instead, he finds himself caught in a cascade of strange occurrences that shatter everything he believed about his life. Each day brings new revelations that force him to question his past and his place in the world. The events spiral beyond coincidence, pointing toward something darker lurking beneath the surface of his family history. As the week progresses toward his birthday, Ned must confront truths that have been carefully concealed from him his entire life. The discovery of his real identity becomes inseparable from understanding what his family truly is. By the time his birthday arrives, Ned faces a reality that will forever change how he sees himself and those closest to him.
Genres: mystery, fantasy, horror, contemporary
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: United States
Period: 21st-century
Paperback · Demco Media
Content warnings: violence