by Rosie Walsh
First published 2022
Emma has spent ten years creating a perfect life with her husband Leo and daughter Ruby. She works as a marine biologist while Leo writes obituaries for the local paper. Their marriage feels solid and their family complete. Then Emma falls seriously ill. Leo throws himself into what he knows best: research and writing. He begins crafting his wife's obituary, diving deep into her background and achievements. But the deeper he digs, the more the facts refuse to align. Emma's credentials don't check out. Her past contains gaps and contradictions. Even her name appears to be fabricated. As Leo uncovers the scope of his wife's deception, Emma faces an impossible choice. She must reveal the truth about her identity and explain why she constructed such an elaborate false life. Most difficult of all, she needs to tell Leo about someone from her past who still holds a piece of her heart.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, mystery, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Marine Biology
372 pages · Hardcover · Pamela Dorman Books
Content warnings: mental-illness