Everyone a Stranger - by Kevin O'Brien (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A young war widow is unwittingly drawn into a sinister web of intrigue and murder in this taut, unexpected, masterfully plotted historical thriller set in WWII-era Seattle, where the enemy may be closer than anyone thinks. A crafty, addictive read for fans of The Americans, Anna Pitoniak, Graham Moore, and Elizabeth Wein.

Washington D.C., 1943 Virginia Abrams believed the war had taken all it could from her when her husband was killed at Guadalcanal. One year later, she's in a dark, unexpected quandary--pregnant and on the run to avoid a ruthless political family that wants to erase all connections between her and the man who assaulted her.

Changing her name, Virginia moves to Seattle to start over. Against her better instincts, she's pulled into the lives of her new neighbors in an apartment complex--especially Tim, a young boy whose mother dies suddenly in a fall. Virginia fears that her whereabouts have been discovered, and she was the intended target . . .

But there are secrets between the residents too--stormy affairs, mysterious visitors, whispers and rumors. Tim is convinced there are saboteurs among them, hiding in plain sight. Virginia wants to discount his teenage imagination and her own rising paranoia, yet there's something menacing here . . .

Torn between wanting to help the boy and safeguarding her anonymity, Virginia tentatively begins piecing the puzzle together with the help of some of her neighbors. But now others are dying in an escalating series of "accidents." No one is entirely who they seem to be. No one can be trusted. And though she doesn't know it yet, her own life is hanging by the thinnest thread . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for Kevin O'Brien

"In a story that feels like O'Brien traveled back in time and stole the manuscript straight from Alfred Hitchcock's desk, Ginny's struggle to find solace will have readers keeping their lights on while reaching for tissues. Arguably the author's best novel to date." - Jeff Ayers, firstCLUE on Everyone a Stranger

"Equally excellent as historical fiction as it is a mystery...O'Brien takes the reader along as he tells several stories: the experiences of the gay and lesbian community, Japanese-American incarceration, the navy service of Nora's brother...This is a perfect read for a book discussion, marrying the experience of domestic life during the War and an awfully good mystery." --Brian Kenney, firstCLUE on The Enemy at Home

"A tantalizing whodunnit set in WW II Seattle with a cast of red herrings that had me guessing and turning pages right up to the final, shocking reveal--which I never saw coming." --Charlie Donlea, USA Today bestselling author of Twenty Years Later on The Enemy at Home

"Nobody writes suspense better than Kevin O'Brien. Read The Enemy at Home, but do so with the lights on." --Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author on The Enemy at Home

"A sweeping, addictive story of bravery and sacrifice, told in Kevin O'Brien's cinematic style. Authentic period detail creates a suspenseful, chilling atmosphere in this grand historical novel." --Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author on The Enemy at Home

"A classic Kevin O'Brien page-turner, with a new historical twist. O'Brien takes us deep into Seattle during WWII, as his heroine juggles work, misogyny, solo parenting, and a serial killer on the loose. Nora is a heroine to root for, and the curves in the plot kept me reading late into the night (while checking the locks on my doors!)." --Erica Bauermeister, New York Times bestselling author of No Two Persons on The Enemy at Home

"A compulsively unputdownable, keep-you-guessing-to-the-end, pages-flying whodunit. Packed with compelling, complicated characters in a fascinating and meticulously-researched time and place." --Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This Is How It Always Is on The Enemy at Home

"Kevin O'Brien's new book takes us to Seattle in the opening years of the US involvement in World War II, when a serial killer is on the loose, targeting women who are contributing to the war effort by becoming Rosie the Riveters. The book is fast-paced, suspenseful, and intriguing, and it kept this reader guessing about the killer's identity nearly till the big reveal. Super enjoyable." --Elizabeth George, #1 New York Times bestselling author on The Enemy at Home

"Kevin O'Brien delivers again in this fast paced, page turning historical novel. The rich details of World War II era Seattle and deeply drawn characters combine to pull the reader through the twists and turns of this thought provoking read. I couldn't put it down!" --James D. Shipman, acclaimed author of Irena's War and Before the Storm on The Enemy at Home

About the Author

Kevin O'Brien is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty suspense novels. Before his books landed him on the bestseller lists, he was a railroad inspector who wrote at night. He moved from the train tracks to becoming a full-time author in 1997, when his novel, Only Son, was picked up by Reader's Digest and optioned for film. Since then, his books have been translated into fourteen languages. Born and raised in Chicago, O'Brien now lives in Seattle, where he is on the board of Seattle 7 Writers, a collective of bestselling, award-winning authors. He can be found online at KevinOBrienBooks.com.