Gaslight - by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte & Sara Shepard

Book Synopsis

From Sundance Award-winning filmmaker and podcast creator Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard, Gaslight is a tense thriller that dredges the inner workings of cults, the susceptibility of young minds, and the fragility of both friendship and marriage.

Rebecca is living a peaceful life in Nevada with her husband, Tom, and their two young children. Her past is in the past and she does a good job of keeping it there, until her old friend, Danny, shows up on the doorstep one morning, throwing her sweet family life into turmoil. Danny is nothing but a reminder of what Rebecca fled all those years ago, and all the secrets she's keeping from Tom. She tries her hardest to manage the situation and figure out what Danny wants, but all Rebecca seems to find are layers upon layers of deception.

That deception has a lot to do with ISB, the cult Danny has been part of for ten years: a group of spiritual seekers living deep in the woods, cut off from their families and friends, led by a charismatic leader who's a master at manipulation and mind control. Is Danny here because she's trying to break free from the cult? Or is she on a recruiting mission? It's hard for Rebecca to know when Danny's telling the truth and when she's lying, but one thing's for sure: her presence might just blow up Rebecca's life. As she scrambles to figure out Danny's intentions, Rebecca begins to lose sight of the people she loves most--and the danger closing in on them all.

Review Quotes

"Sara Shepard remains the queen of high-stakes, high-octane, compulsively readable suspense."

"Gaslight is a gripping thriller that explores the internal dynamics of cults, the fragility of relationships, and the vulnerability of young minds."

"Gaslight is a powerful examination of the ways in which shame can keep people trapped, even as predators exploit the vulnerable while pretending to care deeply about their well-being. Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard do an excellent job of exposing the inner workings of cults, riffing off of the details of several real-life sects that have made headlines in recent years. Most moving, though, are their dissections of female friendships, especially the ones made in adolescence that have a hard streak of competition running through them."

"A gripping thriller in which a woman once controlled by fear confronts her past."

"A timely, tense, compelling thriller that stands out for its exploration of the inner workings of cults, the susceptibility of young minds, and the fragility of friendship and marriage...A must-read for fans of cult stories, thrillers, complex characters, or even friendships turned sour (think Pretty Little Liars)."

"If you're one of those people who reads books about cults and is always like, 'I wish there were more details about how the cult works and what happens behind the scenes, ' then you will appreciate this book."

"Ripped from the headlines, Gaslight delves into the insidious world of cult indoctrination and the exploitation of young women, and how the past can suddenly reappear to threaten everything. A page-turning thriller with a powerful message about misplaced loyalty and the fragility of youth. A powerful read!"

"This is a creepy, tense, thriller of a novel."

"What a story! It was riveting right from the start. I could not, would not put the book down for anything! I had to keep reading. I had to know what would happen next. I even found myself thinking about the book's title, the image on the cover, and the way the story played out long after I put the book down. Gaslight is just a great story. I would happily recommend Gaslight to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read--you won't want to miss out on this one!"