An evocative YA historical fantasy thriller by debut author Sarah Goodman, for fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Libba Bray

MADNESS, SECRETS, AND THE LENGTHS WE’LL GO TO KEEP THEM BURIED

Wheeler, Arkansas, 1907

When her father descends into madness, Verity Pruitt and her little sister Lilah find themselves uprooted from New York, on an orphan train to rural Arkansas.

In Wheeler, Lilah is quickly adopted by the town’s beloved schoolteacher — but Verity is not. Willing to do anything to stay close, she pawns herself off as a farmhand, but even charming farm boy Abel Atchley can’t completely distract her from the sense that something is not quite right in this little town. Strange local superstitions abound, especially about the eerie old well at the center of the forest. The woods play tricks, unleashing heavy fog and bone-chilling cold... and sometimes visions of things that aren’t there.

But for Verity, perhaps most unsettling of all is the revelation that her own parents have a scandalous history in this very town. And as she tries to unearth the past, sinister secrets come with it — secrets that someone will go to violent lengths to protect.

Published
October 6, 2020
Where to find this book
External links open a book search at the selected retailer. Availability may vary.
Explore All Literature Discussions