Short Synopsis
From the author of Nerves of the Heart comes a haunting novel about three people locked in the grip of past deeds—a story that reveals the profound ways in which guilt can not only derail lives but also, sometimes, redeem them.

Full Synopsis
Brooke O'Connor—elegant, self-possessed, and kind—has a happy marriage and a deeply loved young daughter. So her adamant refusal to have a second child confounds her husband, Sean. When Brooke's high school boyfriend, Alex—now divorced and mourning the death of his young son—unexpectedly resurfaces, Sean begins to suspect an affair.

For fifteen years Brooke has kept a shameful secret from everyone she loves. Only Alex knows the truth that drove them apart. His reappearance now threatens the life she has so carefully constructed and fortified by denial. With her marriage—and her emotional equilibrium—at stake, Brooke must confront what she has been unwilling to face for so long.

But the truth is not what Brooke believes it to be.

"A powerful domestic novel." ---Kirkus

"A complex, engaging novel about guilt, secrecy, and the mysteries of family . . . a courageous and thought-provoking writer." ---Tom Perotta

"From its harrowing prologue to its final sentences, I was emotionally engaged." ---Wally Lamb

"Cassandra Campbell's melodramatic delivery fits this story well." ---AudioFile