Afterwards
A Novel
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4.3 • 80 Ratings
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
From the author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Sister comes a compelling, thrilling story of a mother who will do anything to protect her child.
The school is on fire. Her children are inside.
Grace runs toward the burning building, desperate to reach them.
In the aftermath of the devastating fire which tears her family apart, Grace embarks on a mission to find the person responsible and protect her children from further harm. This fire was not an accident, and her daughter Jenny may still be in grave danger. Grace is the only one who can discover the culprit, and she will do whatever it takes to save her family and find out who committed the crime that rocked their lives. While unearthing truths about her life that may help her find answers, Grace learns more about everyone around her -- and finds she has courage she never knew she possessed.
Powerful and beautiful, with a riveting story and Lupton’s trademark elegant style that made Sister such a sweeping success, Afterwards explores the depths of a mother’s unswerving love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A blaze at a suburban London school takes on sinister overtones in Lupton's superb follow-up to Sister (2010). During a sports day at the school of Grace Covey's son, Adam, the building catches fire, and Grace races inside when she realizes that her 17-year-old daughter, Jenny, a temporary teaching assistant, has not emerged. Defying official sanctions, Det. Sgt. Sarah McBride, Grace's sister-in-law, doggedly pursues the questions in the aftermath. These include the accusation that Adam set the blaze, though he's traumatized from the fire and unable to speak; the possible roles of investors, staff, journalists, and fired employees; and an earlier poisoned pen campaign against Jenny. Unusually, the gravely injured Grace and Jenny are having out-of-body experiences, wandering the hospital and other places in search of the truth, as Jenny remembers little of the day's events, and Grace is suspicious of Jenny's boyfriend, Ivo, and her daughter's other relationships. The uncommon but convincing narrative technique, adroit twists, and memorable characters combine to provide a wise and poignant portrait of a family confronted with malice and heartbreaking decisions.
Customer Reviews
Afterwards
Really enjoyed! Well written and kept me interested throughout the book.
WOW
I love this book. Even when I wasn't reading, I was still processing what I'd read so far. Read this book you'll be glad you did.
An Extraordinary Journey
Full of love, courage, reality, perspective-a great detective novel-with hope in spite of cruel realities in life.