Living in the sleepy East Texas town of Pecan Hollow in 1990, Kit Walker can almost forget the life she was living in the 1970s, as the teenaged partner of a con artist named Manny Romero. She can focus on raising her thirteen-year-old daughter and living a quiet life…until Manny is released from prison, and shows up on her doorstep. But if Kit lets him back in her life, could the danger seep back in as well?

Wow. This one left me stunned. I am floored that this is a debut novel. Caroline Frost, thank you for creating these characters. I was quickly swept up in Kit’s story, and devoured most of this novel over the course of a weekend. The writing is beautiful, and the story was a hauntingly good slow burn. This book is not for the faint of heart (TW: child abduction, violence against both humans and animals, rape), but the climax and the ending brought me resolution and hope. Kit’s transformation throughout the novel was incredible to witness, and Manny is a character that I will despise for a very long time! This novel is gritty at times and shows both the evil that overtakes some people, as well as the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love.

Read this one if you love a literary fiction novel that balances character development and a compelling storyline to near perfection. I highly recommend it to all!