First published 1981
Katherine Congreve retreats to her Maine country house for the summer, seeking the familiar rhythms of coastal life. But her peaceful season turns anxious when she learns that John Shipley faces an impending divorce. Katherine worries that Shipley's son will point an accusing finger at her, somehow making her the scapegoat for his parents' failing marriage. The weight of this potential blame presses down on her summer days, transforming what should be a restorative retreat into a season of mounting dread. Katherine must navigate the treacherous waters of loyalty, guilt, and family destruction while trying to protect herself from becoming collateral damage in someone else's marital collapse.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Maine
Period: Summer
281 pages · Paperback · W W Norton & Co Inc