Only the Guilty Survive - by Kate Robards (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A podcaster digs into strange connections between a cult's mass suicide and the murder of a local beauty queen in this twisty psychological thriller about true crime culture, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Lisa Jewell. The mass suicide of a cult known as the Flock sent shockwaves through the small rural town of Iola, Michigan. Led by the charismatic Dominic Bragg, the Flock camped at an abandoned bird sanctuary before their sudden and shocking demise. The deaths came just weeks after one of their members, Laurel Tai, a local pageant queen, was abducted. The town turned its blame and fear onto the sole survivor, Claire Kettler-Laurel's best friend. Burdened by grief and unanswered questions about her friend's murder and her fellow cult members' deaths, Claire can't help but wonder what really happened, especially when the cult leader is nowhere to be found. When podcaster Arlo Stone begins poking around ten years later, determined to uncover the truth about the cult and Laurel's murder, Claire is propelled back into action. In a desperate attempt to puzzle out the past and keep her secrets from being spilled for the entertainment of thousands of listeners, Claire must dig into a tangle of unanswered questions before time runs out and history repeats itself"--

Book Synopsis

A podcaster digs into strange connections between a cult's mass suicide and the murder of a local beauty queen in this twisty psychological thriller about true crime culture, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Lisa Jewell.

The mass suicide of a cult known as the Flock sent shockwaves through the small rural town of Iola, Michigan. Led by the charismatic Dominic Bragg, the Flock camped at an abandoned bird sanctuary before their sudden and shocking demise. The deaths came just weeks after one of their members, Laurel Tai, a local pageant queen, was abducted.

The town turned its blame and fear onto the sole survivor, Claire Kettler-Laurel's best friend. Burdened by grief and unanswered questions about her friend's murder and her fellow cult members' deaths, Claire can't help but wonder what really happened, especially when the cult leader is nowhere to be found.

When podcaster Arlo Stone begins poking around ten years later, determined to uncover the truth about the cult and Laurel's murder, Claire is propelled back into action. In a desperate attempt to puzzle out the past and keep her secrets from being spilled for the entertainment of thousands of listeners, Claire must dig into a tangle of unanswered questions before time runs out and history repeats itself.

Review Quotes

Praise for Only the Guilty Survive
"Robards' eerie, atmospheric thriller is sure to hook true-crime devotees and fans of Kate Weinberg's The Truants, Ivar Leon Merger's What Mother Won't Tell Me, and Janelle Brown's Pretty Things."
--Booklist

"An engrossing, memorable and eerie story whose conclusion was a total surprise."
--Fresh Fiction

"[A] highly provocative thriller . . . I can't wait to learn what nightmare Robards is writing for us next."
--Gumshoe Review

"A twisty and emotional exploration of the complicated relationship between a cult leader and his victims that left me breathless."
--Karen Dionne, author of the #1 international bestseller of The Wicked Sister

"Full body chills . . . I did not see that end coming. Now I want to climb into Claire's head and see what else she's hiding . . . Fascinating and morbidly beautiful."
--Rena Olsen, author of With You Always

About the Author

Kate Robards is the award-nominated author of The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard and Only the Guilty Survive. She holds a degree in journalism and works in communications at a nonprofit organization. She lives outside Chicago with her husband and children.