I read this author's debut novel, The Quiet Tenant in 2024, and now this latest one set in Utah and the Hudson Valley of NYS (where I live!). I'm pretty sure the author is basing the part of the story set in the Hudson Valley, on a real cult that was exposed a few years back. It's all very similar anyways, although the names are fictionalized.
STORY SUMMARY
Gabriel and Frida are together again for the first time in nine years. Gabriel now lives in Seattle, and Frida continues to live in NYC. But they are at a luxury resort in southern Utah (Ara) in a desert area near the town of Escalante. They have a shared history going back to their childhood. They were raised in a cult in the Hudson Valley area of New York State. They don't even know who their biological parents are, although they do know they are not biological brother and sister. They just have always called themselves brother and sister. They are the best of friends.
After a horrible tragedy that ended in the death of Gabriel's wife Annie, Frida and Gabriel have grown apart.
But now, at this resort, they are ready to start over. There are desert hikes, dips in the beautiful hotel pool, and good food. Everything feels like paradise....until a hotel female guest ends up dead. She was a beautiful young woman married to a very powerful, older and very wealthy, media magnate named William Brenner.
The local police arrive but suspicion falls immediately on Gabriel. This makes Frida relive the memories from their upbringing in that cloistered cult in New York State. Gabriel and Frida actually escaped from that cult, after setting a fire. There was a major scandal that followed them. They were only 18 yrs old at the time. Frida has always believed Gabriel is innocent of the scandal: that he killed his wife Annie. ( he had gotten married after just knowing her for a few months and at the young age of 22). Gabriel was never formally arrested and charged with Annie's death (her body was found in a river in NJ off a trail where she liked to trail run) but he was a person of interest.
But now? It's beginning to look like Gabriel might have murdered this young woman named Sabrina. There's alot of circumstantial evidence pointing to him, in any case.
Who really killed Sabrina?
How did they survive and escape the clutches of Emile the leader of the cult? What happened to Emile?
And will the ghosts from their past ever be put to rest??
MY THOUGHTS
This is another fast-paced novel (although I preferred her debut novel) with some psychological twists based on childhood traumas.
The character development is strong and interesting. I liked how the author describes the feelings and thoughts going through Frida's mind as she's growing up in the cult community.
It's a story of survival and secrets. It asks the question: do we ever really know the people we love??
The setting is stunning in the way the author describes Escalante....a resort desert area about a half hour from the town.
The similarities between the real cult NXIVM and its leader is striking to me. Also, the first book the author wrote was also set in the Hudson Valley. The author does live downstate in NYC.
The main themes in this story seem to be: survival, identity, perseverance, emotional and physical scars from cult activity/being raised in a cult (childhood trauma), sexual assault, murder, depression, fear, suspicion, loyalty and the strong bonds of friendship.
Some descriptions, although very mild and not offensive, could be triggering for people suffering from bi-polar disorder, survivors of cult activity including sexual assault, survivors of fire or survivors of emotional, educational, and physical neglect/abuse.
I found no editing errors in this book although the use of the F word more than once is a turn off.
In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content).
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9.
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