First published 2026
Riley Bell needs work and a new beginning after her divorce. She accepts a position caring for Betty, an elderly widow who lives without modern technology in a house that feels stuck in 1964. Betty has no microwave, no television, no internet connection. She has lived in complete isolation for decades. Riley begins to ask why Betty needs her now, and why she has hidden from the world for so long. The answers lead back to 1964, when Betty was one of four young women at a prestigious university. A scientist conducted parapsychology experiments on them, searching for evidence of extrasensory abilities. The research approached a major discovery. Then all four women disappeared without explanation. The entire program was wiped from university records. Riley investigates what happened to the missing women sixty years ago. She discovers that some secrets refuse to stay buried, and that confronting the truth may be the only way forward.
Genres: historical-fiction, suspense, mystery, contemporary, adult-fiction, psychological-thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, haunting, introspective, mysterious, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: dual-timeline, found-family, secrets-revealed, unreliable-narrator
Setting: prestigious university
Period: 1964, present day
304 pages · Paperback · St. Martin's Griffin
Content warnings: medical-trauma