The Stranger Behind You: A Novel

Description

Two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award-Winning Author! A chilling story set in a former Magdalen Laundry in Manhattan that explores today's #MeToo complexities. "In a twisting, mesmerizing story that is as beautifully written as it is utterly propulsive, Goodman keeps us breathlessly turning the pages right to the shocking and poignant end. I absolutely loved this layered and moving novel!" -Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author You're never really alone Journalist Joan Lurie has written a seething article exposing a notorious newspaper tycoon as a sexual predator. But the night it goes live, she is brutally attacked. Traumatized and suffering the effects of a concussion, she moves into a highly secure apartment in Manhattan called the Refuge, which was at one time a Magdalen Laundry. Joan should be safe here, so how can she explain the cryptic incidents that are happening Lillian Day is Joan's new 96-year-old neighbor at the Refuge. In 1941, Lillian witnessed a mysterious murder that sent her into hiding at the Magdalen Laundry, and she hasn't come out since. As she relates to Joan her harrowing story, Joan sees striking similarities to her own past. Melissa Osgood, newly widowed and revengeful, has burning questions about her husband's recent death. When she discovers a suspicious paper trail that he left behind, she realizes how little she knew about her marriage. But it seems Joan Lurie might be the one who has the answers. As these three lives intersect, each woman must stay one step ahead of those who are desperate to make sure the truth is never uncovered.

Carol Goodman is the critically acclaimed author of fourteen novels, including The Lake of Dead Languages and The Seduction of Water, which won the 2003 Hammett Prize. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her family, and teaches creative writing at the New School and SUNY New Paltz.

"The Stranger Behind You is a captivating exploration of sexual harassment, friendship, ambition, and how women join together to overcome trauma. It is as classic as it is timely, as heartbreaking as it is suspenseful. Stunning. I couldn't put it down." -- Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling author of Angelology and The Ancestor "Carol Goodman's The Stranger Behind You is at once a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, a powerful meditation on the deep bonds and power of female friendship, and a colorful glimpse of New York City old and new. In a twisting, mesmerizing story that is as beautifully written as it is utterly propulsive, Goodman weaves a dream that blends the past and the present, takes us deep into the hearts and souls of her characters, and keeps us breathlessly turning the pages right to the shocking and poignant end. I absolutely loved this layered and moving novel!" -- Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Confessions on the 7:45 "[A] superior thriller...The plot takes many terrifying twists and turns en route to the surprising climax. Those with a taste for the gothic will be richly rewarded." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A mesmerizing narrative that culminates in a poignant ending to a brilliant journey. Gothic? Note the phantom lye and bleach stench and wait for it! Make sure fans of Shari Lapena and Alison Gaylin get their hands on this one." -- Booklist "Carol Goodman is a superb writer, and she explores family and small-town dynamics in a way that's both suspenseful and touchingly real. The Sea of Lost Girls features a fascinating cast of characters, intriguing setting -- and enough shocking twists to leave you breathless. I loved it." -- Alison Gaylin, Edgar Award-winning author of Never Look Back, on The Sea of Lost Girls "You can always call upon Carol Goodman when you need an atmospheric and twisting tale. Full of half-truths and vengeful ghosts of the past, The Night Visitors will inspire readers to linger long into the night." -- Lori Rader-Day, Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of Under a Dark Sky, on The Night Visitors "Blends a perfect gothic premise...with modern mysterious twists....I couldn't put it down but I didn't want it to end." -- Wendy Webb, bestselling author on The Night Visitors "Foreboding and moody...As you're pulled deeper into its crumbling corridors and gothic history, you'll never guess where its true threats lie." -- Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, New York Times-bestselling author of Bittersweet and June, on The Widow's House