The First Day of Spring

Reviews

Praise for The First Day of Spring:

“Gripping, unsettling debut novel. . .Chrissie’s observations are immaculate, loyal to her age and her desperation…By the end of the novel, the voices of Chrissie and Julia reside deep in your skull: visceral and wicked, sad and wonderful, all at the same time.”—The New York Times Book Review

"A stunning debut...Suspenseful? You bet. Heart-rending? From beginning to end."—The Washington Post

“Too original to be missed.”—PopSugar

“Stylish, cunning thriller…Tucker follows one woman’s reckoning with the quarantines of her childhood, seeking love amid dark secrets hiding in the nooks and crannies of all our lives.”—OprahDaily, Best Books of May

“A spectacular fiction debut …The taut, meticulously observed narration, which alternates between Chrissie’s youthful and adult perspectives, mines the dangers that childhood trauma causes both its victims and those around them. Fans of Lisa Jewell and smart psychological suspense will eagerly await Tucker’s next.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

“This sharp-edged and highly discussable book is difficult to put down.”—Booklist

“Riveting… a chilling suspense novel about guilt, responsibility, and redemption.”—Kirkus 

“An exceptional debut which both chilled and moved me from the very first page. I cannot overstate how much I loved this book.” – Clare Mackintosh, New York Times bestselling author of I Let You Go

“A darkly dazzling debut, a harrowing story of neglect and cruelty written with a delicate touch and a big heart. As gripping as the tensest of thrillers and as moving and humane as the most intimate of memoirs, I loved this book.” – Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of The Family Upstairs

"Tense, addictive and powered by an unforgettable narrative voice, The First Day of Spring gives us not just a window into the confused psychology of a child driven to violence, but a thoughtful consideration of the redemptive power of love and friendship."   —Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train

“The First Day Of Spring is a gut-wrenching tale about the effects of neglect and loneliness on a child. Eight-year-old Chrissie’s voice is so raw and authentic that I could not stop turning the pages, desperate to find out what she would do next. A harrowing, incisive debut.” – Stephanie Wrobel, author of Darling Rose Gold

“Nancy Tucker has created one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve ever read with a remarkable voice that is both piercing and poetic. The contrast between innocence and evil is breathtaking—I found myself aching for Chrissie/Julia as she learns to survive as a daughter and then mother in a world that has failed her. Chilling, thought-provoking, and compulsively readable, The First Day of Spring is a novel that will break your heart on every page and never leave you. I loved it.” – Ashley Audrain, author of The Push Expand reviews