The author of the “master class in suspense” (Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author) The Chamber returns with a high-tension thriller about a family’s descent into darkness that is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Lisa Jewell.
Domestic and emotional abuse, bullying, animal death (off-page).
Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family’s lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife’s sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.
With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew’s gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.
With Will Dean’s signature “well-drawn characters and excellent prose” (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Adrift is gripping exploration of the ties that bind when everything spirals out of control.
Don't just take our word for it...
“Steeped in a sense of impending dread, ADRIFT is an astute character study of one family’s slow unravel as their houseboat floats further and further away from civilization. Will Dean has mastered the art of chronic unease; I was holding my breath the entire time.”
– Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of FORGET ME NOT
“Deeply moving and thoughtfully crafted, ADRIFT will consume you. Will Dean is a master at creating moody, oppressive thrillers that are equally as unsettling as they are gut-wrenching, with characters you can’t stop thinking about even long after the last page. A must read.”
– Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of SHE’S NOT SORRY
“I was going to say I can’t remember the last time a book has me in such a chokehold, until I could. It was The Last Thing to Burn. Heartbreaking, devastating, achingly beautiful. Simply stunning.”
– John Marrs, bestselling author of YOU KILLED ME FIRST
Taste the very first page
When I was younger I would burn butterflies.
Holding Dad’s magnifying glass at arm’s length on a summer’s day. The scent of cut grass and wild mint in the warm, unmoving air. It was important to catch the sunbeam just right.
My parents should have known.
It took me several minutes to rinse out the peanut butter jar. I wanted it real clean.
I told them I’d do it.
They should have listened.
I hid the jar under their bed early this morning. I placed their room key inside the jar. Screwed the lid tight.
Maybe they will find it in time.
These past months Dad has treated me like a fungus growing inside the walls of his house. One punishment after another. Mom hasn’t put a stop to it. If anything, she’s encouraged him.
Not my fault.
I can hear him snoring in their bedroom. It is a familiar sound.
Mom never complains. I open their door quietly as I can. Striped sheets from Macy’s. Matching drapes covering the locked window. Dad’s jeans and thick leather belt over the chair in the corner. I am all too familiar with that belt.
Mom stirs.
I watch her.
They had every chance.
You might also like
Dissolution
A woman dives into her husband’s memories to uncover a decades-old feud threatening reality itself in this staggering technothriller from the bestselling author of Ascension.
Tilt
Annie is nine months pregnant. She’s shopping for a crib at IKEA. That’s when the massive earthquake hits. There’s nothing to do but walk.
Dead Money
Featuring jaw-dropping twists and a wily, outsider heroine you can’t help rooting for, Dead Money is a brilliant sleight-of-hand mystery.
Cross My Heart
A twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.
Alter Ego
In the present day, a comics legend is given the chance to revive a beloved but forgotten character. But at what price?
Red River Road
Anna Downes's extraordinary next thriller follows a woman desperate to discover what happened to her sister on a solo road trip through the Australian outback.
Look In the Mirror
From the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water comes “an utter white-knuckle ride that took me into a heart of darkness” (Lucy Foley, author of The Paris Apartment).
The Unraveling
This chilling, sizzling, and addictive thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Vi Keeland follows a New York psychiatrist’s dark descent into dangerous obsession.
You Know What You Did
In this heart-pounding debut thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist must confront nightmares past and present...