The Forgotten Hours

by Katrin Schumann

Overview

An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller.

“A relevant, compelling, and compassionate look at the torture of conflicted loyalties and the slipperiness of truth.” —Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family

In this evocative debut novel, Katrin Schumann weaves a riveting story of past and present—and how love can lead us astray.

At twenty-four, Katie Gregory feels like life is looking up: she’s snagged a great job in New York City and is falling for a captivating artist—and memories of her traumatic past are finally fading. Katie’s life fell apart almost a decade earlier, during an idyllic summer at her family’s cabin on Eagle Lake when her best friend accused her father of sexual assault. Throughout his trial and imprisonment, Katie insisted on his innocence, dodging reporters and clinging to memories of the man she adores.

Now he’s getting out. Yet when Katie returns to the shuttered lakeside cabin, details of that fateful night resurface: the chill of the lake, the heat of first love, the terrible sting of jealousy. And as old memories collide with new realities, they call into question everything she thinks she knows about family, friends, and, ultimately, herself. Now, Katie’s choices will be put to the test with life-altering consequences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781542040037
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	02/01/2019
Pages:	362
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Katrin Schumann studied languages at Oxford and journalism at Stanford, and she is the author of several nonfiction books. She has been awarded fiction residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, the Norman Mailer Writers Colony, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Schumann teaches writing at GrubStreet in Boston and was an instructor in PEN’s Prison Writing Program. She lives in Boston and Key West. For more information, visit www.katrinschumann.com.

Editorial Reviews

2018-11-13

In Schumann's debut, a woman unravels the truth behind the traumatic rape case that shattered her family almost 10 years earlier.

Each summer for years the Gregory family returned to their cabin at Eagle Lake, an idyllic summer resort town full of swimming and square-dancing; the kind of place where time moves in slow motion. But when Katie Gregory is 15, her father is accused of raping her best friend, Lulu Henderson, at their summer cabin and is then convicted and sent to prison, poisoning Katie's memories of Eagle Lake and upending her young adulthood, though she's convinced of his innocence. Now Katie is 24 and living a relatively normal life in Manhattan—a well-paid consulting job, a committed boyfriend—but everything shifts as her father's release date approaches. Reporters hound her; she struggles to keep the secret hidden from her boyfriend and colleagues. And when Katie's father asks her to prepare their Eagle Lake cabin for his return, she discovers stowed-away letters about the trial that provoke questions about her father's innocence. As she pores over the court transcript and reconnects with the author of those letters—Jack Benson, a love interest from that summer who, unbeknownst to Katie, had testified at the trial—she dives deep into the vivid, multilayered memories of that summer to examine her friendship with Lulu and discern the truth. Eventually, she must come face to face with her father to hear his version of that summer's events for the first time and possibly revise the way she views the foundations of her own life. Schumann's is a carefully-constructed novel that skillfully weaves past and present, slowly planting clues that help unlock the narrative's central mystery while ratcheting up tension. Though the prose is often plain, the fast-moving plot and compelling, layered characters make for an addictive and incredibly timely read.

A page-turner that also speaks to broader questions of sexual abuse, family loyalty, and the mutability of memory.

Kirkus Reviews

A BookRiot Must-Read Debut

“Schumann’s is a carefully constructed novel that skillfully weaves past and present, slowly planting clues that help unlock the narrative’s central mystery while ratcheting up tension…The fast-moving plot and compelling, layered characters make for an addictive and incredibly timely read. A page-turner that also speaks to broader questions of sexual abuse, family loyalty, and the mutability of memory.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Schumann’s debut novel brings a new perspective to sexual assault and how it affects families…Flashbacks to the past are intertwined with the narrative, and the slow reveal of detail will leave readers wanting more. With a surprise twist, this work is sure to please. For fans of Jodi Picoult.” —Library Journal

“…Schumann crafts a powerfully compelling story of family loyalties, teenage friendships, and the fickleness of memory. Timely and provocative, this first novel will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty, Paula Hawkins, and Jenna Blum.” —Booklist

“A riveting story…Schumann has an eye for detail, an ear for the rhythmical sentence, and a voice that is clear and resonant.” —New York Journal of Books

“The Forgotten Hours is a consummate and nuanced read about the nature of human relationships, the conflict of loyalties, and the evasive nature of truth.” —Authorlink

“If you enjoy the twists and turn of a good family drama, you’ll love this…” —POPSUGAR

“This story is a page-turner that also speaks to broader questions of sexual abuse, family loyalty, and the uncertainty of memory.” —CrimeSpree Magazine

“…A compelling mystery that was perfectly timed for the #metoo movement…This story is timely and a promising debut of good things to come from Schumann.” —MomAdvice

“A deeply moving story about friendship and love, yearning and passion, memory and loss. The Forgotten Hours is a brilliant debut from a writer of uncommon grace.” —William Landay, New York Times bestselling author of Defending Jacob

“As fictional characters go, Katie Gregory seems not so much imagined as compelled into being by the unique forces of the times—the perfect envoy to accompany you into the red-hot cauldron of accused and accuser. That Katie is neither of these but bound by love to both makes her conflict more gut wrenching and the possibilities more terrifying. Add to this Schumann’s gift for knowing—and conjuring—her character’s heart, and you have a story that makes you feel it’s your heart at risk, your life on the line. You may lose track of these hours, but you won’t forget them.” —Tim Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of Descent

“With an elegance of style surprising in a first novel, Schumann shows how, when we seek truth about the past, the most treacherous secrets are those we keep from ourselves.” —Carol Anshaw, New York Times bestselling author of Carry the One

“The Forgotten Hours is a wise reminder that coming-of-age stories aren’t only for the very young. Katie Gregory’s need to confront her own youthful beliefs and desires is something familiar—and compelling— to us all. There is so much insight in these pages, so much compassion, all woven into a mystery I couldn't put down.” —Robin Black, author of Life Drawing and If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This

“The Forgotten Hours asks important questions about memory, adolescent understanding, the age of consent, and what men have gotten away with since time immemorial. Katrin Schumann has crafted a powerful tale for the #MeToo era which should resonate far beyond this cultural moment.” —Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and June

“The Forgotten Hours is a stunning novel about trauma and shame, loyalty and truth. Ten years after an alleged crime destroyed her family, Katie Gregory returns to an abandoned cabin she prefers to forget. As memories of her last evening there bring conflicting emotions, she struggles to rediscover her ability to trust and her faith in love. Was her father guilty of the assault for which he was convicted? What part did she play in events of that night, and can she move beyond her own guilt? Trying to unravel the answers before the heart-pounding finish will keep readers up way past bedtime. A must-read for book clubs.” —Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son and The Promise Between Us

“For me, the best indicator of a good book is when you're thinking about the characters even when you aren't reading, and wondering what’s going to happen to them. This was definitely the case with The Forgotten Hours. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written, compelling story.” —Marybeth Mayhew Whalen, bestselling author of When We Were Worthy and cofounder of She Reads

From the Publisher