August 1975: Teenage Barbara Van Laar, daughter of the region’s wealthiest family, has disappeared from her summer camp bunk bed. Complicating matters severely is the fact that her family owns the camp and employs most of the region’s working-class residents. Also: Barbara’s older brother disappeared much the same way 14 years ago.

This book was something else and I’m so grateful that I got to read an advance copy. Told from several viewpoints both in character and time, the story focuses on the Van Laar family. The story is a tragedy told beautifully and realistically, I could picture Camp Emerson perfectly and the grand house Self-Reliance set in the grounds. Flicking between the 1950s, 1961 when Bear went missing and 1975 (present day in the book) when Barbara has disappeared the characters interwoven stories emerge and untangle themselves.

A true summer powerhouse novel, focusing around the lives of several women - I loved the themes of each woman’s story, Alice’s secrets, Judyta’s dreams. Combine that with the location in the Adirondacks, the historical setting, the mystery and police procedural elements and you have an outstanding read.