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Sign up todayKnife River
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“A twisting, engrossing, and beautiful mystery. Thrilling, yet also deeply moving, layered, and powerful.”—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark, a Read with Jenna Book Club pick as seen on Today
“A delicious smoke curl of a novel.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult
“An intelligent literary mystery.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Paula Hawkins
A compelling story of family, home, and the bond between sisters that asks: Who do you believe when you can't even trust yourself?
When Jess was thirteen, her mother went for a walk and never returned. Jess and her older sister, Liz, never found out what happened. Instead, they did what they hoped their mother had done: survive. As soon as she was old enough, Jess fled their small town of Knife River, wandering from girlfriend to girlfriend like a ghost in her own life, aimless in her attempts to outrun grief and confusion. But one morning, fifteen years after their mother’s disappearance, she gets the call she’s been bracing for: Her mother’s remains have been found.
Jess returns to find Knife River—and her sister—frozen in time. The town is as claustrophobic and rundown as ever. Liz still lives in their childhood home and has become obsessed with unsolved missing persons cases. Jess plans to stay only until they get some answers, but their mother’s bones, exposed to the elements for so long, just leave them with more questions. As Jess gets caught up in the case and falls back into an entanglement with her high school girlfriend, her understanding of the past, of Liz, of their mother, and of herself become more complicated—and the list of theories more ominous.
Knife River is a tense, intimate, and heartrending portrayal of how deeply and imperfectly women love one another: in romantic relationships, in friendships, and especially as sisters.
Reviews
“This book really has it all: a murder mystery, complicated sister dynamics, a messy lesbian main character, and an even messier love interest. It’s very dark and vibey, and explores the reverberations of the murder in a really smart, thoughtful way.”—Gabrielle Korn, author of Yours for the Taking“A haunting, slow burning novel full of atmosphere and heart … Clever and beautifully written, it is a satisfying and moving read.” —Araminta Hall, author of One Of the Good Guys
“Compelling.”—Paste
“Knife River is a delicious smoke curl of a novel: atmospheric, sharp, and skilled at twisting the reader’s guesses in unimaginable ways.”—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Knife River is an intelligent literary mystery with a rich sense of place and a clever plot; but it is Champine’s keenly-observed depiction of the aftermath of tragedy and the corrosive impact of loss that sets this novel apart.”—Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Intimately engrossing . . . Champine superbly combines the sisters’ investigation with a thoughtful look at family bonds … Champine’s depiction of their evolving mental health and the impact of their mother’s shadow elevates this tense and gripping novel.”—Oline H. Cogdill for Shelf Awareness
“Knife River is a gorgeous, magnetic portrait of two sisters whose lives are shattered by the loss of their mother. Part mystery, part investigation into the nature of loss, this novel is both startlingly beautiful and unputdownable. Justine Champine has written a knockout debut.”—Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling author of The Puzzle Master
“Beautifully written, gripping and poignant, Knife River is a moving debut about love, women and buried secrets.”—Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Translation
“With the wry, crackling humor of Sally Rooney and Ottessa Moshfegh, and a grip on the darkest, prickliest corners of human behavior, Knife River is completely singular in vision, skill, and oneiric, haunting atmosphere. Champine writes dykes, outsiders, and desire like no one else. Her work is transcendent.”—T Kira Madden, author of Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls
“A twisting, engrossing, and beautiful mystery. Thrilling, yet also deeply moving, layered, and powerful.”—Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colors of the Dark, a Read with Jenna Book Club pick as seen on Today
“Knife River is a twisty, intoxicating book. The beating heart of it is raw and tender, full of guilt and heartache and hope. It's a genuine and unsettling look at how loss can divide a family, but it’s also a story about the long and difficult ways we finally make our way back home. Justine Champine is a very gifted writer and readers are going to be hooked on Knife River.”—Kristen Arnett, author of With Teeth
“The relationship between the sisters . . . shines. . . . Suspenseful and surprisingly moving.”—Kirkus Reviews Expand reviews
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