4 Stars
320 Pages
Publisher: Knopf Pantheon Vintage and Anchor, Knopf
Release Date: July 8, 2025
Genre: Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Cult, Rape
When Frida and Gabriel were young, they were raised in a cult separated from the outside world. Life is hard and they yearn to venture beyond the compound. Slowly they begin to take chances. They visit the neighboring town and are befriended by some.
Nine years ago, Annie, Gabriel’s wife, was found dead in the water after being missing for two weeks. He was the prime suspect but without any evidence, the case was never solved. Because he is under a cloud of guilt, he moves from the east coast to Washington state for a new start.
Frida arranges for the two of them to stay at the luxurious Ara Hotel in Utah. Since they have not been close in a long time, Frida hopes they can rekindle their sibling relationship. They notice a married couple, a young woman and an older man, having disagreements. While standing outside smoking, Frida sees the man threatening the woman. The following morning, she is found dead. At first, the husband is arrested but soon attention shifts to Gabriel. His wife’s death makes him an ideal suspect. Frida knows Gabriel is not a killer, but she must do everything she can to find the truth.
The story is fast paced and bounces from the past and the present. The characters are well developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view from Frida. Reading about the cult life was difficult to read but important to the development of the characters. Their experiences make them flawed which makes them more believable.
