1 of 2 copies available
“A delicious smoke curl of a novel.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult
“An intelligent literary mystery.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Paula Hawkins
A compelling story of family, home, and the bond between sisters that asks: Who do you believe when you can't even trust yourself?
When Jess was thirteen, her mother went for a walk and never returned. Jess and her older sister, Liz, never found out what happened. Instead, they did what they hoped their mother had done: survive. As soon as she was old enough, Jess fled their small town of Knife River, wandering from girlfriend to girlfriend like a ghost in her own life, aimless in her attempts to outrun grief and confusion. But one morning, fifteen years after their mother’s disappearance, she gets the call she’s been bracing for: Her mother’s remains have been found.
Jess returns to find Knife River—and her sister—frozen in time. The town is as claustrophobic and rundown as ever. Liz still lives in their childhood home and has become obsessed with unsolved missing persons cases. Jess plans to stay only until they get some answers, but their mother’s bones, exposed to the elements for so long, just leave them with more questions. As Jess gets caught up in the case and falls back into an entanglement with her high school girlfriend, her understanding of the past, of Liz, of their mother, and of herself become more complicated—and the list of theories more ominous.
Knife River is a tense, intimate, and heartrending portrayal of how deeply and imperfectly women love one another: in romantic relationships, in friendships, and especially as sisters.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 28, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593790311
- File size: 349289 KB
- Duration: 12:07:41
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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December 13, 2024
Champine's tense debut opens as a group of children in a small, Upstate New York town discover a human skull while playing outside. When police investigate, they realize the children have found the body of Natalie Fairchild, a young mother who disappeared 15 years ago, leaving her daughters, Jess and Liz, behind. Younger sister Jess moved away as soon as she could, but Liz is still living in their childhood home, unable to move forward. When Liz tells Jess the awful news, Jess moves back home to be with her sister and unravel the mystery of their mother's death. As the sisters repair their relationship with each other, they begin to heal themselves as well. Jess reignites a relationship with a high school girlfriend, and Liz finally is able to move ahead with her life. Jennifer Pickens narrates this slow-burn mystery (BISAC'ed as family life fiction), which is filled with finely drawn observations and realistic, multi-dimensional characters. Pickens's performance is infused with a tone of muted sadness and dry wit that beautifully complements the material. VERDICT A slow-paced, fully realized novel with complex familial relationships at its core. Recommended for fans of Tana French and Jane Harper.--Susan Cox
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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