First published 2014
Becca has just graduated and celebrated with her boyfriend James during the oppressive heat of what will be her last summer in her hometown. The sweltering days stretch ahead with the promise of freedom, but everything changes in a single devastating blow. James breaks up with her without warning. Then, the next morning, someone discovers a dead girl in a roadside ditch. These two terrible events happen almost simultaneously, creating a collision of personal heartbreak and community tragedy. As the investigation unfolds and secrets emerge, Becca finds herself caught in circumstances that will reshape her understanding of her town, her relationships, and herself. The summer that was supposed to mark the end of one chapter becomes something far more complex and dangerous. What follows will alter the course of Becca's life permanently, forcing her to confront truths she never expected to face.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: secrets, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Hometown
Period: Summer
320 pages · Paperback · Fischer FJB
Content warnings: death