We Would Never - by Tova Mirvis (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For fans of Laura Dave and Rebecca Makkai, a "gripping, engaging novel" (Vogue) that maps the extremes to which a family will go in order to protect their own.

No one appears more surprised than Hailey Gelman when she comes under suspicion for the murder of her soon-to-be ex-husband Jonah. Hailey--nicknamed Sunshine by her mother for her bright outlook and ever-present smile--has always tried to do what is expected of her and is regarded as the family peacemaker. But is anyone, including Hailey, who she has always seemed to be?

The months leading up to Jonah's death have been fraught, including a bitter separation and a messy custody battle over their young daughter, Maya. When Hailey files a motion to relocate to Florida so she can be near her family, Jonah retaliates and the divorce begins to spiral dangerously out of control.

Sherry, Hailey's mother, will stop at almost nothing to keep Jonah from getting what he wants. Nate, Hailey's impetuous and protective older brother, has tried to keep his distance, but he can't stand to see his little sister suffer. And then there's Solomon, the patriarch, who is keeping a secret that threatens the stability and security Sherry has worked so hard to maintain. Soon, they are forced to reckon with who they are as individuals and as a family, and just how far they will go for each other.

Inspired by a true story, We Would Never is "an intellectual mystery--part whodunit, part whydunit, and heavy on the complexities of family dynamics, asking: How far would you go to protect those you love?" (The Boston Globe).

Review Quotes

"An intellectual mystery--part whodunit, part whydunnit, and heavy on the complexities of family dynamics, asking: How far would you go to protect those you love?" --The Boston Globe

"A gripping, engaging novel." --Vogue

"Propulsive, disturbing, and practically begging for a screen adaptation." --Kirkus Reviews

"A penetrating study of a family whose all-consuming love for each other turns sinister. Readers won't be able to look away." --Publishers Weekly

"More than a whodunnit, Mirvis's characters are multidimensional, wrestling with doubts and guilt, not just about murder, but also about a lifetime of questionable choices. . . . The combination of murder mystery and character-driven literary fiction makes the perfect read for a winter snowstorm or beach vacation." --Hadassah Magazine

"Tova Mirvis pens a riveting domestic drama about the most complicated, painful and love-filled thing of all: family. . . . Sherry is complicated and complex, multilayered in the way that only the most gifted, emotionally intelligent authors can achieve. . . . While not exactly a thriller. . . the book has all the trademarks of one: edge-of-your seat suspense, hidden motives and alliances, and, of course, death. Propulsive in its tone, ambitious in its probing of the human psyche, and full of poignant questions about morality and love, We Would Never is a must-read." --Bookreporter

"Taut. . . Gripping. . . . As she did with her previous works set in Orthodox Jewish communities, Mirvis expertly digs into the dynamics of a tight-knit group: here, it's a nuclear family that might seem perfect to onlookers yet hides more than its fair share of secrets and betrayals under a wholesome façade. . . . Mirvis keeps readers guessing, paving the way for a key twist. . . . We Would Never poses compelling questions about families' secrets and self-mythologizing, taking a fraught situation and ratcheting up the extreme incidents and emotions until it's finally revealed who would--and did--turn to murder." --Maximum Shelf

"A deft perspective shift early on asserts authorial control, pulling us in with high stakes and a brisk pace . . . Mirvis' latest is, at its core, a steady-pulse novel. It doesn't make you sweat over who­dunit or strain to decode its themes . . . Instead, We Would Never forces us to look so closely at this kind of smother-love that we cringe [at]." --Jewish Book Council

"In We Would Never, Tova Mirvis brings a novelist's eye to a tabloid story, and the result is both gripping and illuminating. Mirvis gets deep into her characters' heads and their twisted relationships, showing us how the toxic combination of a bad divorce, a custody dispute, and family dysfunction leads apparently reasonable people to a place where the unthinkable starts to look inevitable. Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down." --Tom Perrotta, author of Mrs. Fletcher

"Thrillingly plotted and exquisitely imagined, We Would Never is a masterful portrait of a family and its many secrets. A relentlessly intelligent barn-burner of a book." --Claire Dederer, author of Monsters

"We Would Never is utterly spellbinding. Tova Mirvis's characters are so real you'll wish you could grab them for a heart-to-heart before it's too late...but the propulsive plot is already sweeping you right along with them toward the unthinkable. Mirvis has written a knockout exploration of the ways people shape and misshape their lives through anger, and the lines people never believe they'll cross until they do." --Rachel Kadish, author of The Weight of Ink

"A fascinating fever dream of a novel about the gifts and costs of family loyalty. Part mystery, part moral puzzle, We Would Never shines a fierce light on its characters, while never losing sight of their humanity." --Elizabeth Graver, author of Kantika

"With its crafty engineering and large cast of shape-shifting characters, We Would Never not only keeps you guessing until its very last pages, it gets you asking yourself its intriguing central questions: how far would you go for someone you love, and could you live with yourself if you went too far? In this deeply satisfying novel, Tova Mirvis dares you never to say never." --Christopher Castellani, author of Leading Men

"Mirvis writes with deep psychological insight into family dynamics and the sometimes fine line between love and desperation. We Would Never is not only a gripping murder mystery, but a moving and thought-provoking exploration of morality. This is a tour de force you will devour in one sitting." --Jessica Shattuck, author of The Women in the Castle

"An urgent, insightful family drama about complicity and entitlement that could not be more timely. It's essential reading by a true talent." --Sarah Langan, author of Good Neighbors

"An intellectual mystery-part whodunit, part whydunnit, and heavy on the complexities of family dynamics, asking: How far would you go to protect those you love?" -The Boston Globe "A gripping, engaging novel." -Vogue "Propulsive, disturbing, and practically begging for a screen adaptation." -Kirkus Reviews "A penetrating study of a family whose all-consuming love for each other turns sinister. Readers won't be able to look away." -Publishers Weekly "More than a whodunnit, Mirvis's characters are multidimensional, wrestling with doubts and guilt, not just about murder, but also about a lifetime of questionable choices. . . . The combination of murder mystery and character-driven literary fiction makes the perfect read for a winter snowstorm or beach vacation." -Hadassah Magazine "Tova Mirvis pens a riveting domestic drama about the most complicated, painful and love-filled thing of all: family. . . . Sherry is complicated and complex, multilayered in the way that only the most gifted, emotionally intelligent authors can achieve. . . . While not exactly a thriller. . . the book has all the trademarks of one: edge-of-your seat suspense, hidden motives and alliances, and, of course, death. Propulsive in its tone, ambitious in its probing of the human psyche, and full of poignant questions about morality and love, We Would Never is a must-read." -Bookreporter "Taut. . . Gripping. . . . As she did with her previous works set in Orthodox Jewish communities, Mirvis expertly digs into the dynamics of a tight-knit group: here, it's a nuclear family that might seem perfect to onlookers yet hides more than its fair share of secrets and betrayals under a wholesome façade. . . . Mirvis keeps readers guessing, paving the way for a key twist. . . . We Would Never poses compelling questions about families' secrets and self-mythologizing, taking a fraught situation and ratcheting up the extreme incidents and emotions until it's finally revealed who would-and did-turn to murder." -Maximum Shelf "A deft perspective shift early on asserts authorial control, pulling us in with high stakes and a brisk pace . . . Mirvis' latest is, at its core, a steady-pulse novel. It doesn't make you sweat over who-dunit or strain to decode its themes . . . Instead, We Would Never forces us to look so closely at this kind of smother-love that we cringe [at]." -Jewish Book Council "In We Would Never, Tova Mirvis brings a novelist's eye to a tabloid story, and the result is both gripping and illuminating. Mirvis gets deep into her characters' heads and their twisted relationships, showing us how the toxic combination of a bad divorce, a custody dispute, and family dysfunction leads apparently reasonable people to a place where the unthinkable starts to look inevitable. Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down." -Tom Perrotta, author of Mrs. Fletcher "Thrillingly plotted and exquisitely imagined, We Would Never is a masterful portrait of a family and its many secrets. A relentlessly intelligent barn-burner of a book." -Claire Dederer, author of Monsters "We Would Never is utterly spellbinding. Tova Mirvis's characters are so real you'll wish you could grab them for a heart-to-heart before it's too late...but the propulsive plot is already sweeping you right along with them toward the unthinkable. Mirvis has written a knockout exploration of the ways people shape and misshape their lives through anger, and the lines people never believe they'll cross until they do." -Rachel Kadish, author of The Weight of Ink "A fascinating fever dream of a novel about the gifts and costs of family loyalty. Part mystery, part moral puzzle, We Would Never shines a fierce light on its characters, while never losing sight of their humanity." -Elizabeth Graver, author of Kantika "With its crafty engineering and large cast of shape-shifting characters, We Would Never not only keeps you guessing until its very last pages, it gets you asking yourself its int

About the Author

Tova Mirvis is the author of the memoir The Book of Separation as well as four novels: We Would Never, Visible City, The Outside World, and The Ladies Auxiliary, which was a national bestseller. Her essays have appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Real Simple, and her fiction has been broadcast on NPR. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts, with her family. You can connect with her on her website, TovaMirvis.com.