Dark Turns
A Novel
-
- $28.99
-
- $28.99
Publisher Description
Set in the ruthlessly competitive world of elite boarding schools, this debut psychological thriller reads like a cross between Black Swan and Donna Tartt's The Secret History
A rising star in the world of ballet, Nia Washington fought her way up from the streets and was nearing the pinnacle of her profession when an injury and a broken heart derailed her career. Taking a temporary job at an elite boarding school was supposed to give her time to nurse both body and soul. It was supposed to be a safe place to launch a triumphant comeback.
Shortly after she arrives at the beautiful lakeside campus, she discovers the body of a murdered student, and her life takes a truly dark turn. It's not long before she is drawn into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with a ruthless killer. And Nia isn't the only target. She must use all of her street smarts to protect her dancers, save a wrongfully accused student, and rescue the man she loves.
A stunning and suspenseful tale of passion and betrayal, Holahan takes readers deep into the mind of a murderer and the woman who must put an end to the killing.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Nursing a severely strained Achilles tendon and a shattered heart, ballerina Nia Washington, the heroine of Holahan's suspenseful but melodramatic first novel, believes a year teaching dance at Wallace Academy will be just what the doctor ordered. Shortly after her arrival at the posh Connecticut girls' school, however, the dean takes her on a tour of the campus, including the lake, where they discover the body of a 15-year-old student. This is but a harbinger of the twisted passions and pure evil to come. Holahan nails the preppy ambience, the cliques, the conspicuous consumption, and the coltish beauties such as golden girl Aubrey Byrne, who flirts with English teacher Peter Andersen, Nia's budding new beau. But Holahan is less interested in delving beneath the glossy surface and showing, for instance, just what drives Nia to dance, love, or anything else. In the end, this Black Swan pas de deux with Tartt's The Secret History proves to be a reflection of the dancers it showcases: elegant but thin.
