When You Find Me
A Novel
- Publisher
- CROOKED LANE BOOKS
- Initial publish date
- Oct 2018
- Category
- Domestic, Psychological, Suspense
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781683317494
- Publish Date
- Oct 2018
- List Price
- $35.99
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781643851730
- Publish Date
- Jun 2021
- List Price
- $21.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
For fans of S. J. Watson and Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects—a chilling look at marriage and madness from a talented new voice in psychological suspense
Her husband is missing.
Visiting her family’s South Carolina estate, socialite Gray Godfrey wakes from a night out to an empty bed. Her husband Paul is gone and a thrashing hangover has wiped her memory clean. At first, she’s relieved for the break from her tumultuous marriage; perhaps Paul just needed some space. But when his car is found abandoned on the highway, Gray must face the truth: Paul is gone. And Gray may not want him found.
Her life is unraveling.
When a stranger named Annie calls claiming to know Paul’s whereabouts, Gray reluctantly accepts her help. But this ally is not what she seems: soon Annie is sending frightening messages and revealing disturbing secrets only Gray could know. As Annie’s threats escalate and Gray’s grip on reality begins to slip, the life she thought she had and the dark truth she’s been living begin to merge, leaving an unsettling question: What does Annie want? And what will she do to get it?
A chilling look at marriage, madness, and the lives we think we lead, When You Find Me is a daring debut from a talented new voice in psychological suspense.
About the author
Contributor Notes
P. J. Vernon was born in South Carolina. He holds a PhD in immunology and published science before turning his hand to publishing fiction. P. J. is an insatiable reader of suspense and domestic noir. His writing—and love for all things unsettling—is influenced by the works of Gillian Flynn, S. J. Watson, and the late A.S.A. Harrison. Apart from spinning tales of dark secrets or terror in suburbia, P. J. is an active member of the Imaginative Fiction Writers Association (IFWA) and the Alberta Romance Writers Association (ARWA). He lives in Canada with his partner and two wily dogs.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for When You Find Me:
"Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn...A psychological suspense I inhaled in two sittings that left me looking forward to Vernon’s next work because that was a hell of a debut!"
—Book Riot
"Southern gothic meets psychological suspense in Vernon’s eerie debut...Fans of dark tales of familial and marital discord will be satisfied."
—Publishers Weekly
"Vernon creates a fleet, suffocating sense of velvet nightmare."
—Kirkus Reviews
"This gripping debut marks Vernon as a name to watch in the thriller genre."
—Booklist
"An assured and well-crafted debut with slow-building tension...Coincides nicely with the television adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects, which has fans looking for other moody, Southern, gothic reads. They will definitely want to read this."
—Library Journal
"This story has it all. Family dysfunction, substance abuse, old secrets, betrayal, madness, and a missing husband. In other words, prepare for a gripping read, and be sure to start early. Your eyes could be on the pages until sunrise."
—New York Journal of Books
"It’s a roller coaster ride to the end, and Vernon offers up plenty of surprises in an assured debut...Carve out some time for this eerie, atmospheric read, and hold on tight."
—Criminal Element
"Chilling, original, and incredibly unsettling...You will not be able to stop reading."
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, national bestselling author of Trust Me
"I loved this book! Mercurial characters and excellent writing kept me riveted from beginning to end. Vernon makes us question everything and everyone..."
—Susan Crawford, author of The Pocket Wife and The Other Widow
“An atmospheric thriller that pulls readers deep into the muck of a wealthy Carolina family and sucks them under, leaving them gasping for breath at the shocking conclusion.”
—Cate Holahan, USA Today bestselling author of Lies She Told
“P. J. Vernon’s taut debut is destined to be one of the most electrifying thrillers of 2018. From an exciting new author to watch, When You Find Me is a definite addition to your must-read list."
—Gale Massey, author of The Girl From Blind River
“When You Find Me is the sort of story that grabs you by the neck and keeps you breathless as the secrets of this genteel southern world unfold in a series of horrifying revelations. Like a gin-soaked fever-dream, it unfolds at a delicious pace. Set aside a day; once you start, you won’t put it down.”
—Tiffany Quay Tyson, author of The Past is Never and Three Rivers