Secrets of Eden - by Chris Bohjalian (Paperback)

About the Book

From the "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Midwives" and "The Double Bind" comes a novel of shattered family ties, intimate secrets, and the nature of sacrifice. Few writers can manipulate a plot with Bohjalian's grace and power.--"The New York Times Book Review."

Book Synopsis

NOW A LIFETIME TV MOVIE STARRING JOHN STAMOS

INDIE NEXT PICK - From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Midwives, and Skeletons at the Feast comes a novel of shattered faith, intimate secrets, and the delicate nature of sacrifice.

"There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational books about . . . angels.

Heather survived a childhood that culminated in her own parents' murder-suicide, so she identifies deeply with Alice's daughter, Katie, offering herself as a mentor to the girl and a shoulder for Stephen--who flees the pulpit to be with Heather and see if there is anything to be salvaged from the spiritual wreckage around him.

But then the State's Attorney begins to suspect that Alice's husband may not have killed himself . . . and finds out that Alice had secrets only her minister knew.

Secrets of Eden is both a haunting literary thriller and a deeply evocative testament to the inner complexities that mark all of our lives. Once again Chris Bohjalian has given us a riveting page-turner in which nothing is precisely what it seems. As one character remarks, "Believe no one. Trust no one. Assume all of our stories are suspect."

Review Quotes

"Superb . . . Fans of Bohjalian's 11 other novels (including Midwives) know to expect the unexpected and, thanks to his creativity and cunning, readers usually get walloped by one heck of a plot twist by book's end. In Secrets of Eden, the old saw that none of us knows what really goes on in a house when the shades are drawn rings chillingly true."--USA Today

"Superbly written - vivid and horrifying without being melodramatic. . . . a tribute to Bohjalian's storytelling skill."--The Boston Globe

"Suspenseful. . .searing. . .Bohjalian has written a literary murder mystery that hooks readers early and keeps its secrets until the end. . .Bohjalian's book is about the power of secrets and sacrifice and a warning against jumping to judgment. Those who doubt their faith, he writes, are sometimes the strongest among us."--The Miami Herald

"Chris Bohjalian has always known how to keep the pages turning. In his latest novel, a small Vermont hamlet has been racked by a well-established couple's apparent murder-suicide. . . . [A] study of guilt and grief."--Entertainment Weekly

"Page-turning."--Seattle Times

"To call this fine novel a mystery would be like calling the Hallelujah Chorus a nice song . . . Bohjalian has written a gripping story that keeps the reader turning pages to find out what really happened . . . But there is so much more in this rich story. Bohjalian delves into the profound mysteries of human existence. What is faith? What is love? And who are really the angels among us?"--Winston-Salem Journal

"[A] suspenseful page-turner . . . This book will entertain you with its suspense, but it will also make you think about how hurtful secrets can be."--Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Secrets are sprinkled throughout a Chris Bohjalian novel like loose change spilled from the pockets of a master storyteller . . . exquisite . . . magic is rediscovered in 'Secrets of Eden.'"--Tom Mayer, Lake City Reporter

"Bohjalian has built a reputation on his rich characters and immersing readers in diverse subjects--homeopathy, animal rights activism, midwifery--and his latest surely won't disappoint."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Bohjalian "drops bombshell clues . . . and weaves subtle nuances of doubt and intrigue into a taut, read-in-one-sitting murder mystery."--Booklist, starred review

"Bohjalian's most splendid accomplishment to date . . . A fantastic choice for book clubs, this novel deals beautifully with controversial topics of domestic abuse, faith, and adultery without resorting to sensationalism. Breathtaking."--Library Journal, starred review

"Specificity and complexity and . . . a somber power."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

CHRIS BOHJALIAN is the critically acclaimed author of twelve novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Skeletons at the Feast, The Double Bind, and Midwives. His novel, Midwives, was a number one New York Times bestseller and a selection of Oprah's Book Club. His work has been translated into more than 25 languages and twice became movies (Midwives and Past the Bleachers). He lives in Vermont with his wife and daughter.

Visit him at www.ChrisBohjalian.com or on Facebook.