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The American Booksellers Association has selected Elizabeth Black’s exquisitely written and haunting debut, The Drowning House, as an Indie Next pick for January! “Black beautifully explores the idea of going home by making Galveston the true main character of this novel that will make readers reflect on their own lives and wonder what it would be like to go home again,” writes Lynn Pellerito Riehl of Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor, MI.
Steeped in the rich local history of Galveston, The Drowning House portrays two families, inextricably linked by tragedy and time. Read what others are saying:
“A spellbinding debut novel, a story of secrets, loss and the redemptive power of truth … Black’s luxurious prose makes Galveston into a dark, fading fairy-tale world, and her descriptions of Clare’s internal strife reveal a keen insight into the human condition that eludes many more seasoned novelists. A page-turning chronicle of grief and memory, The Drowning House is a remarkable blend of human drama and satisfyingly Southern Gothic mystery, propelled by Black’s lyrical, haunting narration.”
—Bookpage
“A fine debut … Black mythologizes this landscape, evoking its essence and that of its inhabitants, creating a novel that is far more than the sum of its parts.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Prepare to be lost in Elizabeth Black’s Galveston. Strange, mysterious, and utterly riveting, The Drowning House is a captivating mystery as well as a beautifully realized story about grief that skillfully evokes the heat, humidity, and languid desire that pervade Gulf Coast life.”
—Michelle Richmond, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Fog
“As dark and gleaming as a ruby, Elizabeth Black’s suspenseful debut limns the slippery nature of truth surrounding a shocking tragedy, with language so exquisite you’ll be underlining phrases.”
—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You
“The Drowning House marks the emergence of an impressive new literary voice. Elizabeth Black’s suspenseful inquiry into dark family secrets is enriched by a remarkable succession of images, often minutely observed, that bring characters, setting, and story sharply into focus.”
—John Berendt, New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Read the opening on Scribd.