The last housewife: a novel

In this disturbing psychological thriller from Winstead (Fool Me Once), there's no hiding from the past for Shay Deroy, who has been running for eight years from the trauma she and her two closest friends at New York's Whitney College suffered at the hands of the charismatic older man who initially captivated them, then held them captive. Alarm bells sound for Shay, now a Dallas trophy wife, when she learns that her surviving bestie, gentle Laurel Hargrove, has been found hanging on the Whitney campus, eerily echoing the scene at other bestie Clem Jones's apparent suicide her senior year. Coincidence? True crime podcaster Jamie Knight, Shay's friend since childhood, doesn't think so--and he makes a public plea for her help investigating. Still feeling guilty about failing to protect Clem, Shay agrees to join forces with Jamie. Back at Whitney, she runs up against some of the same malevolent forces that seduced her before. Winstead offers insight into the masochistic psychology that can set up vulnerable women to be recruited into cults, but readers should be prepared for ugly scenes of self-harm, suicide, rape, and misogyny. This dark suspense novel may be too grim for some. Agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong. (Aug.)

Winstead's latest suspense (after In My Dreams I Hold a Knife) is a story that needs to be told--about misogyny, sexual violence, and human trafficking, and how innocent trust can lead to abusive seduction. Shay Deroy leads a life of ease as a posh housewife in a Texas suburb. But her comfortable existence is jolted when she listens to a true-crime podcast hosted by her childhood friend Jamie. He's investigating the death of Laurel, one of Shay's college roommates, and Shay must help him. The police declare it a suicide, but Jamie and Shay have doubts. Laurel's death is eerily similar to the hanging suicide of their other roommate, Clem, during senior year. Jamie doesn't know about the friends' dark history with the father of their fourth roommate, Rachel. He'd lured them with attention and adoration, and soon they blindly obeyed. Shay and Jamie follow Laurel's trail into the dark world of sex clubs and abusive manipulation as Shay struggles against being brainwashed into submission again. VERDICT This explosive cautionary tale of a "podcast meets sex cult meets murder" will captivate fans of twisted psychological suspense.--K.L. Romo

In their last year of college, Shay Evans and best friend Laurel escaped the lure of a charismatic man preaching female submission. Years later Laurel is dead, and when Shay enlists the help of a true-crime podcast host to discover why, she uncovers a secret cult of men violently devoted to the concept of male superiority. From the author of the well-received In My Dreams I Hold a Knife.

Winstead's latest suspense (after In My Dreams I Hold a Knife) is a story that needs to be told—about misogyny, sexual violence, and human trafficking, and how innocent trust can lead to abusive seduction. Shay Deroy leads a life of ease as a posh housewife in a Texas suburb. But her comfortable existence is jolted when she listens to a true-crime podcast hosted by her childhood friend Jamie. He's investigating the death of Laurel, one of Shay's college roommates, and Shay must help him. The police declare it a suicide, but Jamie and Shay have doubts. Laurel's death is eerily similar to the hanging suicide of their other roommate, Clem, during senior year. Jamie doesn't know about the friends' dark history with the father of their fourth roommate, Rachel. He'd lured them with attention and adoration, and soon they blindly obeyed. Shay and Jamie follow Laurel's trail into the dark world of sex clubs and abusive manipulation as Shay struggles against being brainwashed into submission again. VERDICT This explosive cautionary tale of a "podcast meets sex cult meets murder" will captivate fans of twisted psychological suspense.—K.L. Romo

Winstead's latest suspense (after In My Dreams I Hold a Knife) is a story that needs to be told—about misogyny, sexual violence, and human trafficking, and how innocent trust can lead to abusive seduction. Shay Deroy leads a life of ease as a posh housewife in a Texas suburb. But her comfortable existence is jolted when she listens to a true-crime podcast hosted by her childhood friend Jamie. He's investigating the death of Laurel, one of Shay's college roommates, and Shay must help him. The police declare it a suicide, but Jamie and Shay have doubts. Laurel's death is eerily similar to the hanging suicide of their other roommate, Clem, during senior year. Jamie doesn't know about the friends' dark history with the father of their fourth roommate, Rachel. He'd lured them with attention and adoration, and soon they blindly obeyed. Shay and Jamie follow Laurel's trail into the dark world of sex clubs and abusive manipulation as Shay struggles against being brainwashed into submission again. VERDICT This explosive cautionary tale of a "podcast meets sex cult meets murder" will captivate fans of twisted psychological suspense.—K.L. Romo

In this disturbing psychological thriller from Winstead (Fool Me Once), there's no hiding from the past for Shay Deroy, who has been running for eight years from the trauma she and her two closest friends at New York's Whitney College suffered at the hands of the charismatic older man who initially captivated them, then held them captive. Alarm bells sound for Shay, now a Dallas trophy wife, when she learns that her surviving bestie, gentle Laurel Hargrove, has been found hanging on the Whitney campus, eerily echoing the scene at other bestie Clem Jones's apparent suicide her senior year. Coincidence? True crime podcaster Jamie Knight, Shay's friend since childhood, doesn't think so—and he makes a public plea for her help investigating. Still feeling guilty about failing to protect Clem, Shay agrees to join forces with Jamie. Back at Whitney, she runs up against some of the same malevolent forces that seduced her before. Winstead offers insight into the masochistic psychology that can set up vulnerable women to be recruited into cults, but readers should be prepared for ugly scenes of self-harm, suicide, rape, and misogyny. This dark suspense novel may be too grim for some. Agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong. (Aug.)