A New York Times bestseller—“A great-aunt’s disappearance forces a troubled woman to confront her painful past. . . . Tense, enchanting and beautiful” (Kirkus).
Every gift has a price . . . every piece of lace has a secret.
Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.
Praise for The Lace Reader
“A gorgeously written literary novel that’s a doozy of a thriller.” —Chicago Tribune
“Gripping.” —USA Today
“Evocative, layered, smart, and astonishing.” —Joshilyn Jackson
“A suspenseful, fast-paced story.” —Boston Globe
“Casts an enthralling spell.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Compulsively readable.” —Denver Post
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The Lace Reader: A Novel
A New York Times bestseller—“A great-aunt’s disappearance forces a troubled woman to confront her painful past. . . . Tense, enchanting and beautiful” (Kirkus).
Every gift has a price . . . every piece of lace has a secret.
Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.
Praise for The Lace Reader
“A gorgeously written literary novel that’s a doozy of a thriller.” —Chicago Tribune
“Gripping.” —USA Today
“Evocative, layered, smart, and astonishing.” —Joshilyn Jackson
“A suspenseful, fast-paced story.” —Boston Globe
“Casts an enthralling spell.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
A New York Times bestseller—“A great-aunt’s disappearance forces a troubled woman to confront her painful past. . . . Tense, enchanting and beautiful” (Kirkus).
Every gift has a price . . . every piece of lace has a secret.
Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.
Praise for The Lace Reader
“A gorgeously written literary novel that’s a doozy of a thriller.” —Chicago Tribune
“Gripping.” —USA Today
“Evocative, layered, smart, and astonishing.” —Joshilyn Jackson
“A suspenseful, fast-paced story.” —Boston Globe
“Casts an enthralling spell.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Brunonia Barry lives in Salem with her husband and their beloved golden retriever, Byzantium.
What People are Saying About This
Marisa de los Santos
“With THE LACE READER, Brunonia Barry plunges us through the looking glass and beyond to a creepy and fascinating world. Prepare to meet strange, brave, bruised, electrically alive women there. Prepare to be riveted by their story and to live under its spell long after you’ve reached its astonishing end.”
Kristin Hannah
“Lovely and captivating...The Lace Reader showcases Barry’s understanding of human nature. A splendid debut novel.”
Joshilyn Jackson
“Evocative, layered, smart, and astonishing, THE LACE READER is a fever dream of a novel that will haunt me for a long time to come. The Salem, Massachusetts that the Whitney women inhabit is a wild, dark place, and I loved every moment that I spent there.”
Diane Stern
“The Lace Reader challenges the very notion of reality. A compelling, fast-action page turner. A terrific read!”
Tom Jenks
“Barry’s novel is that rare thing—a literary page-turner worthy for it’s story and for its art.”
Katherine Turman
“Past and present mysteries merge in a fast-moving narrative that builds through a numerous small dramas to a theatrical conclusion.”
Roxanne Price
“Barry weaves a suspenseful tale of witchcraft and dark mystery…Barry’s depictions of time and place are marvelously descriptive.”
It’s a brave new year and January’s best fiction includes paranormal mysteries, gritty coming of age novels, emotionally resonant literary dramas, and good old-fashioned thrillers. Whether you’re excited for new fare from your favorite bestselling authors or on the lookout for intriguing debuts, you’ll find em here!