First published 2008
When a mysterious stranger arrives in the isolated Alaskan town of Kushtaka, the residents are thrown into turmoil. As the newcomer begins to unravel the town's darkest secrets, long-buried tensions and tragic histories come to light. Forced to confront the ghosts of their pasts, the townspeople must decide whether to reveal the truth or maintain their fragile peace. In this gripping novel, Guterson explores the power of community, the weight of our choices, and the human need for belonging, no matter the cost.
Genres: fiction, mystery, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: dark-secrets, small-town, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Alaska, Kushtaka
Period: 21st-century
256 pages · Paperback · Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Content warnings: death, mental-illness