For this tightly plotted drama of rumors and small-town gossip that can kill, Cassandra Campbell’s beautiful cello voice is the perfect instrument. Jackie Reed is the divorced mother of one very squirrelly teenage boy named Wade, whose inner life has become opaque to her, and to Wade’s likable little brother, Connor. When a popular classmate is killed during a bizarre carjacking, the social media gossip mill blames Wade, who makes it easy for them. Belief in Gaylin’s complicated female characters—Jackie; Pearl, the police investigator; carjack victim Aimee En, a self-aggrandizing has-been rock starlet, among others—is crucial to the success of this high-tension plot. Campbell nails all of them, and the listener to the edge of her seat. B.G. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
If I Die Tonight: A Novel
Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
Alison GaylinUnabridged — 11 hours, 23 minutes
If I Die Tonight: A Novel
Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
Alison GaylinUnabridged — 11 hours, 23 minutes
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Overview
Reminiscent of the bestsellers of Laura Lippman and Harlan Coben-with a dose of Big Little Lies or Stranger Things-an absorbing, addictive tale of psychological suspense from the author of the highly acclaimed and Edgar Award-nominated What Remains of Me and the USA Today bestselling and Shamus Award-winning Brenna Spector series, in which a seemingly open-and-shut police case with a clear-cut hero and villain turns out to be anything but simple.
Late one night in the quiet Hudson Valley town of Havenkill, a distraught woman stumbles into the police station-and lives are changed forever.
Aimee En, once a darling of the '80s pop music scene, claims that a teenage boy stole her car, then ran over another young man who'd rushed to help.
As Liam Miller's life hangs in the balance, the events of that fateful night begin to come into focus. But is everything as it seems?
The case quickly consumes social media, transforming Liam, a local high school football star, into a folk hero, and the suspect, a high school outcast named Wade Reed, into a depraved would-be killer. But is Wade really guilty? And if he isn't, why won't he talk?
Told from a kaleidoscope of viewpoints-Wade's mother Jackie, his younger brother Connor, Aimee En and Pearl Maze, a young police officer with a tragic past, If I Die Tonight is a story of family ties and dark secrets-and the lengths we'll go to protect ourselves.
Editorial Reviews
11/20/2017
A violent carjacking sends shock waves through sleepy Havenkill, N.Y., in this moving character-driven standalone from Edgar-finalist Gaylin (What Remains of Me). The incident leaves high school football star Liam Miller, who was run over while apparently trying to stop the thief, fighting for his life. Police officer Pearl Maze takes the initial report from badly shaken former pop star Amy Nathanson, a resident of nearby Woodstock, for whom the stolen vintage Jag is the only vestige of her ’80s glory days as a one-hit wonder. Some of the details in Amy’s account, such as having her window rolled down at a stop sign on a freezing cold night, strike Pearl as unlikely. As for the culprit, suspicion falls on high school pariah Wade Reed, who’s rumored to be a Satanist, after finger-pointing from Liam’s friends on social media. What really happened that night will take Pearl’s considerable detective prowess—and courage—to figure out. Though the fast-paced plot takes a few implausible final twists, the novel’s lasting impact comes from its indelible portrait of people in crisis. Agent: Deborah Schneider, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents. (Mar.)
Gripping.” — Oprah.com
“Right now, Alison Gaylin is at the very top of her game, crafting exhilarating and audacious crime novels that are both rich in character and rivetingly told. Her books are, quite simply, not to be missed.” — Megan Abbott
“This is mind-blowing suspense from an exceptional writer.” — Alex Marwood
“Alison Gaylin keeps astonishing me. The only thing I know for certain when I pick up one of her books is that I’ll love it. If I Die Tonight continues her winning streak with its timely, twisty and utterly human take on the way we live (and die) today. One of the best crime novelists, bar none.” — Laura Lippman
“Alison Gaylin is a great storyteller.” — Mark Billingham
“Superb…Each plot point weaves perfectly for a poignant story strengthened by its attention to characters…If I Die Tonight never falters in its excellent illustration of people on the edge, and it joins the ranks of those mysteries that will prove to be one of the best published in 2018.” — Associated Press
“The action never stops, and sometimes the darkness feels as if it’s creeping into your own home.” — Suspense Magazine
“The perfect thriller for a weekend spent indoors, If I Die Tonight will challenge your own belief in your intuition.” — Bustle
“Gaylin’s skill at character development is in the spotlight, featuring a diverse cast of characters whose actions ring true — whether they are adults behaving badly or teenagers experiencing the perils of growing up in the social media age…you won’t be able to turn away from this page turner.” — RT Book Reviews (top pick)
“Excellently executed suspense that will leave you thinking past the final page.” — Book Riot
“Riveting… The story is masterfully told in different voices from a well-developed cast of characters. Fans of Megan Abbott and Wendi Corsi Staub will relish this one.” — Booklist
“The novel’s lasting impact comes from its indelible portrait of people in crisis.” — Publishers Weekly
“Alison Gaylin’s skillful balance of tension and intimacy will appeal to fans of psychological and domestic suspense, and the questions she raises about parents, children, and bullying have rich potential for book clubs.” — Library Journal
Gripping.
Excellently executed suspense that will leave you thinking past the final page.
Gaylin’s skill at character development is in the spotlight, featuring a diverse cast of characters whose actions ring true — whether they are adults behaving badly or teenagers experiencing the perils of growing up in the social media age…you won’t be able to turn away from this page turner.
Superb…Each plot point weaves perfectly for a poignant story strengthened by its attention to characters…If I Die Tonight never falters in its excellent illustration of people on the edge, and it joins the ranks of those mysteries that will prove to be one of the best published in 2018.
Alison Gaylin is a great storyteller.
Alison Gaylin keeps astonishing me. The only thing I know for certain when I pick up one of her books is that I’ll love it. If I Die Tonight continues her winning streak with its timely, twisty and utterly human take on the way we live (and die) today. One of the best crime novelists, bar none.
Right now, Alison Gaylin is at the very top of her game, crafting exhilarating and audacious crime novels that are both rich in character and rivetingly told. Her books are, quite simply, not to be missed.
This is mind-blowing suspense from an exceptional writer.
The action never stops, and sometimes the darkness feels as if it’s creeping into your own home.
The perfect thriller for a weekend spent indoors, If I Die Tonight will challenge your own belief in your intuition.
Riveting… The story is masterfully told in different voices from a well-developed cast of characters. Fans of Megan Abbott and Wendi Corsi Staub will relish this one.
Riveting… The story is masterfully told in different voices from a well-developed cast of characters. Fans of Megan Abbott and Wendi Corsi Staub will relish this one.
The story thrums with suspense, and rewards the reader with a surprising yet plausible conclusion.
Moody, densely layered mystery whose emotional notes are as affecting as the plot points are enthralling…a model of superb narrative craft.
Praise for the novels of Alison Gaylin “What Remains of Me is a riveting, emotionally complex thriller, filled with characters who jump from the page and grab your heart.
For this tightly plotted drama of rumors and small-town gossip that can kill, Cassandra Campbell’s beautiful cello voice is the perfect instrument. Jackie Reed is the divorced mother of one very squirrelly teenage boy named Wade, whose inner life has become opaque to her, and to Wade’s likable little brother, Connor. When a popular classmate is killed during a bizarre carjacking, the social media gossip mill blames Wade, who makes it easy for them. Belief in Gaylin’s complicated female characters—Jackie; Pearl, the police investigator; carjack victim Aimee En, a self-aggrandizing has-been rock starlet, among others—is crucial to the success of this high-tension plot. Campbell nails all of them, and the listener to the edge of her seat. B.G. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940173835826 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperCollins |
| Publication date: | 03/06/2018 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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