The Poppy Fields: A Novel

by Nikki Erlick, Christian Barillas (Read by), Dan Bittner (Read by), Graham Halstead (Read by), Mia Barron (Read by)

Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit The Measure—a runaway bestseller and a Read with Jenna TODAY Show pick—comes a stunning speculative story of healing, self-discovery, forgiveness, and found friendship.

"A masterful, tender exploration of love, loss, and the poignant echoes of memory... A profoundly moving read." —Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

Welcome to the Poppy Fields, where there’s hope for even the most battered hearts to heal.

Here, in a remote stretch of the California desert, lies an experimental and controversial treatment center that allows those suffering from the heartache of loss to sleep through their pain...and keep on sleeping. After patients awaken from this prolonged state of slumber, they will finally be healed. But only if they’re willing to accept the potential shadowy side effects.

On a journey to this mystical destination are four very different strangers and one little dog: Ava, a book illustrator; Ray, a fireman; Sasha, an occupational therapist; Sky, a free spirit; and a friendly pup named PJ. As they attempt to make their way from the Midwest all the way to the Poppy Fields—where they hope to find Ellis, its brilliant, enigmatic founder—each of their past secrets and mysterious motivations threaten to derail their voyage.

A high-concept speculative novel about heartache, hope, and human resilience, The Poppy Fields explores the path of grief and healing, a journey at once profoundly universal and unique to every person, posing the questions: How do we heal in the wake of great loss? And how far are we willing to go in order to be healed?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798228468115
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/17/2025
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Nikki Erlick is the author of the instant New York Times bestseller The Measure, which was a Read with Jenna / Today show book club pick. The Measure has been translated into twenty-four languages worldwide. She has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a master’s degree from Columbia University. She lives in Los Angeles.

Marin Ireland is a voice artist who has won five Earphones Awards as well as the prestigious Audie Award for Best Female Narration in 2020. She is an award-winning actress known for her starring role in the Broadway show Reasons to Be Pretty, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. She has appeared in a number of off-Broadway shows and television series, including Homeland, Unforgettable, The Killing, The Following, and others.

Dan Bittner is an actor and voice talent and winner of several AudioFile Earphones Awards for audio narration. He has starred on stage and on the screen, in movies such as Men in Black, Adventureland, and the Producers: The Movie Musical. He has also appeared onstage as Macbeth and Sherlock Holmes in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Stacey Glemboski is a seasoned voice artist and audiobook narrator of many books in the science fiction and young adult fiction genres.

Graham Halstead, an Earphones Award and Audie Award–winning narrator, is a professionally trained actor and voice artist. As an actor, he has worked internationally in Edinburgh and London, as well as at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. His youthful, easy-flowing voice can be heard on television and radio voicing spots for Airborne and Allegra.

Mia Barron has worked at theaters in New York and around the country. Her film and television credits include The Guiding Light and the independent feature The F Word. She has won an AudioFile Earphones Award, and in 2003 she was awarded the Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award for her audiobook narration.

Callie Dalton is an acclaimed audiobook narrator who loves feisty heroines and brooding boyfriends. She is a conservatory-trained theatre actor and veteran narrator of over one hundred romance titles. Her award-winning narration is known for its humor, authenticity, and sexy male voices.

Janina Edwards, an Earphone Award–winning narrator, is a graduate of the acting program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Shawn K. Jain is a Harvard University/Moscow Art Theater School/A.R.T. Institute graduate. Shawn has TV credits for shows on Apple TV+, CBS, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Showtime, and Peacock, and he has narrated audiobooks for Penguin Random House, Hachette, Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Epic!, Blackstone, GraphicAudio, and HQN. Shawn can be heard on many episodes of the romcom podcast Meet Cute and on Atypical Artists' audio dramas Life with LEO(h) and Maxine Miles. He also voiced a migrant worker for UCLA Labor Center's Re:Work Radio podcast. Sean Daniels, artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company, said he finds "few actors funnier in the world than Shawn."

Prior to saying yes to his calling to be an actor, Shawn was a communications and marketing professional who did important work with organizations like the ACLU and the International AIDS Society. Born and raised in Northern California, Shawn received his BA from UC Berkeley. In addition to acting, Shawn has several pilots in development. Shawn writes stories that deal with the brokenness of people and society (even when things seem glittering and beautiful on the outside). Shawn is queer and of South Asian descent. A native English speaker who is fluent in Spanish and conversant in Hindi, Shawn can do British, Farsi, Hindi, Indian, Urdu, and Arabic accents.

Christian Barillas is an Earphones Award–winning audio narrator and actor based in Los Angeles with credits in theater, film, and television. His professional career began with Center Theater Group’s A Very Old Man with Enourmous Wings, a short story by Gabriel García Márquez. He then appeared in several productions in and around Los Angeles including As You Like It, Sonia Flew, and A Christmas Carol. On television, he is perhaps most recognizable as Ronaldo on Modern Family, where he appears opposite Tony winner and Emmy nominee Nathan Lane.

Jason Culp, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, has been acting since the age of ten, and his credits include a variety of television, theater, and film roles. He is best known for his role as Julian Jerome on General Hospital. In addition to audiobooks and voice-over work in national commercials, he has also narrated documentaries for National Geographic and the History Channel.

Editorial Reviews

"Erlick’s absorbing sophomore work, sure to be another hit, beautifully explores grief, healing, and acceptance.”  — Booklist (starred review)

“Erlick’s follow-up to her Read with Jenna pick The Measure is a timely speculative novel about sister relationships, forgiveness, and self-discovery… Each of the characters’ stories includes secrets and motives that engender surprising plot twists, yet their experiences all show aspects of shared humanity, grief, and loss that will make it easy for readers to find empathy even as the plot veers toward dystopian extremes. At its core, this is a story of hope and healing and of what people are willing to do to find them.” — Library Journal

“Alluring… the character work is top notch, especially as the seemingly disparate travelers find common ground in their resilience… Readers will be in no rush to see it end.” — Publishers Weekly

“A masterful, tender exploration of love, loss, and the poignant echoes of memory—profoundly moving." — Jamie Ford, New York Times-bestselling author

"A deeply thought-provoking, fascinating story about the most elemental issues of humanity." — Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls and Miracle Creek

“A thought-provoking and rewarding exploration of grief and loss, with wise and wonderful things to say about the healing power of friendship.” — Gareth Brown, bestselling author of The Book of Doors

“The Measure is equal parts charming and thought-provoking. It takes a philosophical question—what if everybody on earth knew exactly how long they had left to live?—and explores, with compassion and pragmatism, how the implications would trickle down into every area of modern life, from politics to intimacy.” — Marie Claire

“Despite its chilling premise, Erlick’s novel is an escape from—rather than a window into—our own terrifying reality.”  — New York Times on The Measure

"I doubt I will ever use the term 'life-affirming' when describing a novel again. No other book could ever measure up to what Erlick has done with this tender, original and gripping debut. I cannot think of a reader of any genre who would not find something to love in The Measure." — Bookreporter.com

“So often, high-concept novels are all conceit, no heart, but Nikki Erlick gives us both in spades, a fascinating and timely setup buttressed by a compelling cast of characters finding their hard way through unprecedented times. It makes The Measure a heartfelt parable for our own unprecedented times but also its opposite: a lesson in what doesn’t change even when everything else does.”  — Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of One Two Three

“What an incredible book! It’s truly original with an intriguing premise that’s beautifully executed. I loved the fact that it was written from so many POVs, each adding depth and perspective to the overall narrative which made it a rich and satisfying read. I found it gripping, poignant, and intensely thought-provoking.” — Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things, on The Measure

From the Publisher