Starred review from April 29, 2024
A series of arson attacks lead to the discovery of a much deeper mystery in Auffarth’s jaw-dropping debut. In the small town of Riverside, Ga., police discover the scorched remains of a young woman at the latest in a string of deliberate blazes. After Dalia Wright identifies the body as her daughter, Thea, who’d struggled with severe depression since she was a teenager, investigators come to suspect that Thea set all the fires, then died by suicide. But Marley Henderson, her next-door neighbor and best friend since childhood, doesn’t buy it. When investigators find a positive pregnancy test in Thea’s home, the mystery deepens, and Marley reconnects with an old flame to ferret out the truth. Little is as it first appears in this wily thriller, which unfolds across multiple timelines and alternates between Thea’s and Marley’s first-person perspectives. Along the way, Auffarth lands some stirring insights about love and loss. This catches fire early and burns bright to the end. Agent: Jess Regel, Helm Literary.
May 21, 2024
Marley Henderson used to have it all: a devoted fianc�, a coveted job in fashion, and a lifelong best friend, Thea. But after a drunken mistake in front of her whole small Georgia town, Marley loses everything. Then arson fires begin appearing all over town, and one turns deadly, taking Thea's life. The police believe Thea herself set the fire, but Marley cannot reconcile this view of Thea with the memory of her childhood friend. Marley begins her own investigation and soon uncovers things about Thea she never knew. How close were Marley and Thea really? Did Marley ever know the real Thea? Auffarth's debut novel is a triumph. The pace keeps the story moving while still allowing for the emotional ebbs and flows to hit hard. It unfolds through alternating POVs, both unreliable and yet sure to earn readers' sympathy. Auffarth knits together the past and present for an exciting and unexpected ending. Perfect for fans of the intricately plotted domestic thrillers of Megan Miranda and Mary Kubica.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.