The Quiet Girl

Starred review from June 15, 2020
Dueling narratives propel this stunning psychological suspense debut from Kosa (the Immortal Dealers fantasy series). When struggling entrepreneur Alex Zarabian meets novelist Mina Richards at a book signing, it’s love at first sight. The two marry six months later, and settle in Provincetown, Mass. Following a tiff about starting a family, Alex returns home to find his wife gone, and later reports her missing. When the police begin asking questions about Mina’s friends and family, he realizes that he knows practically nothing about her past. Chapters from Mina’s unpublished novel, which describe the frightening experiences of a woman suffering from memory loss and facing a murderer, alternate with sections headed by dates that follow Alex’s movements as he tries to understand who his wife really is and what’s become of her. He, too, is set to confront a murderer. Kosa, a clinical psychologist, does a masterly job of weaving together these two versions of reality. Readers will wonder what elements in Mina’s account truly reflect the people and events in her life. Interpretations of Alex’s experience shift with each new chapter from her book. Hitchcock fans won’t want to miss this nuanced, multilayered novel. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary.

July 1, 2020
Alex Zarabian thought life was good with his new wife, Mina, until the day she disappeared. Alex, the chief financial officer of a startup that aims to cure cancer, loves being married to successful romance author Mina Richards, and he thought she was happy, too. However, they'd argued on Monday when Alex suggested they start a family, and Mina left their Boston home for her little writing cottage in Provincetown. It wasn't unusual for Mina to retreat to her cottage to write and think, and he thought giving her space for a few days would help, but it's out of character for her not to respond to his texts. He only truly starts to worry when he goes up to Provincetown after work on Wednesday and finds her wedding and engagement rings in a little ceramic bowl on her desk. Then he learns that a neighbor saw Mina load a cake carrier into her car Monday night, evidently on her way to her parents' house for dinner, which they confirm, but that's where the trail ends. At a loss, Alex files a missing person report and starts digging for clues himself. When her phone and her car, with her wallet and keys locked inside, are found, Alex truly panics. Then there's that new manuscript Mina left with her editor that was unlike anything she'd ever written. Turns out Alex didn't know as much about his wife as he thought. The pseudonymous Kosa puts her real-world experience as a clinical psychologist to work exploring trauma and its insidiousness while deftly weaving together two seemingly unrelated narratives: Alex's first-person account and one that focuses on a troubled young waitress named Layla. The story takes a bit of time to find its footing, and the passages about Alex's workplace woes seem extraneous. However, once it picks up the pace, readers, especially those that appreciate less-than-tidy resolutions, will be hooked. A twisty and poignant debut.

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August 1, 2020
Newlywed romance author Mina Richards disappears after a disagreement with her husband, leaving her wedding rings behind. The police and her parents believe she has simply left town for a few days to clear her head, but Alex cannot believe Mina would abandon him after all the happiness they have shared during their short time together. Interwoven chapters tell the story of Layla, a young woman who is attempting to escape a past with a sinister secret; the only problem is she can't remember what it is she is running from. As Alex searches for his wife, he begins to realize that Mina and Layla were raised to think that quiet girls are good girls, and that they have both decided they cannot remain quiet any longer. S.F. Kosa is the pseudonym for YA fantasy author Sarah Fine (The True Queen, 2018), and her first outing for adults is a page-turning thriller with well-written, complex characters and several twists and surprises that will not disappoint readers of the genre.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)