Half of What You Hear - by Kristyn Kusek Lewis (Paperback)

About the Book

Greyhill, Virginia, refuge of old money, old mansions, and old-fashioned ideas about who belongs and who doesn't, just got a few new residents. When Bess Warner arrives in town with her husband Cole and their kids, she thinks she knows what to expect. But Bess quickly discovers that fitting in is easier said than done.

Book Synopsis

"Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies." --Kirkus

7 December Books You'll Tear Through Faster Than the Wrapping On Your Holiday Gifts, InStyle

8 Books We Can't Wait to Read in December, PureWow

8 Unbelievable Books to Read December 2018, Women.com

From well-loved women's fiction writer Kristyn Kusek Lewis comes a breakout novel about a woman moving to a small community and uncovering the many secrets that hide behind closed doors--perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Elin Hilderbrand.

Greyhill, Virginia--refuge of old money, old mansions, and old-fashioned ideas about who belongs and who doesn't--just got a few new residents. When Bess Warner arrives in town with her husband Cole and their kids, she thinks she knows what to expect. Sure, moving to Cole's small hometown means she'll have to live across the street from her mother-in-law, and yes, there's going to be a lot to learn as they take over Cole's family's inn-keeping business, but Bess believes it will be the perfect escape from Washington. She needs it to be. After losing her White House job under a cloud of scandal, she hardly knows who she is anymore.

But Bess quickly discovers that fitting in is easier said than done. Instead of the simpler life she'd banked on, she finds herself preoccupied by barbed questions from gossipy locals and her own worries over how her twins are acclimating at the town's elite private school. When the opportunity to write an article for the Washington Post's lifestyle supplement falls into Bess's lap, she thinks it might finally be her opportunity to find her footing here...even if the subject of the piece is Greyhill's most notorious resident.

Susannah "Cricket" Lane, fruit of the town's deepest-rooted family tree, is a special sort of outsider, having just returned to Greyhill from New York after a decades-long hiatus. The long absence has always been the subject of suspicion, not that the eccentric Susannah cares what anyone thinks; as a matter of fact, she seems bent on antagonizing as many people as possible. But is Susannah being sincere with Bess--or is she using their strangely intense interview sessions for her to further an agenda that includes peeling back the layers of Greyhill's darkest secrets?

As Bess discovers unsettling truths about Susannah and Greyhill at large, ones that bring her into the secrets of prior generations, she begins to learn how difficult it is to start over in a town that runs on talk, and that sometimes, the best way to find yourself is to uncover what everyone around you is hiding....

Review Quotes

"Detox from the holidays with Kristyn Kusek Lewis's novel of a small and well-to-do Virginia town, its meddlesome residents, and the decades of secrets within its walls." -- InStyle

"After losing her job at the White House, a woman moves her family to her husband's affluent (and gossip-y) hometown, where she finds that fitting in is almost as hard as figuring out who's hiding what about their lives." -- PureWow

"Exciting and addicting. . . . you'll have a hard time putting it down this holiday season." -- Women.com

"The story won't end where you expect it to, and its strong women's-relationships theme underscores many truths." -- NJ.com

"A character-driven, dishy, gossipy, fun read. . . . A fine story that will move readers to look for other books by this talented author." -- New York Journal of Books

"The fast pace and intriguing mystery make this one perfect for fans of Big Little Lies. A compelling look at the power of small-town gossip." -- Kirkus Reviews

"The ending is neatly constructed, with satisfying redemption for all. Fans of Emily Griffin and Sally Hepworth will appreciate this enjoyable family drama featuring likable characters in challenging situations." -- Booklist

"An astute, exquisite account of a gossipy small town . . . . mesmerizing and entertaining." -- The Washington Book Review

"This engrossing novel has everything: a web of secrets, gossip and lies, and a heroine you'll be cheering for. In other words, it's delightful." -- Jennifer Close, author of Girls in White Dresses and The Hopefuls

"A juicy delight of a novel! HALF OF WHAT YOU HEAR has it all: a charming small town, family secrets, and relatable working mom heroine whose life hits a speedbump. Fans of Liane Moriarty will adore the quirky cast of characters, gossip, and intrigue. I thoroughly enjoyed it!" -- Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of The Forever Summer and The Husband Hour

"A delicious, insightful page-turner set in a genteel Virginia town where everyone knows your secrets--and nothing is what it appears." -- Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Room on Rue Amelie and The Sweetness of Forgetting

"Imagine a Liane Moriarty novel served with a tall glass of sweet tea and you'll have Half of What You Hear. Kristyn Kusek Lewis' latest tells the story of a Virginia town that may be too small to handle the truth--and the explosive result when several women's secrets manage to come to light anyway. Utterly captivating." -- Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties

"Incredibly intriguing, Half of What You Hear is a must-read that artfully delves its way through the layers of gossip, secrets and lies of the small and seemingly charming town of Greyhill, where everyone knows your name, and oh so much more. Buckle up for a fun ride and one thing is for sure: you won't know who to believe until the very end." -- Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, bestselling authors of Girls' Night Out