In the Clearing, Paperback/Jp Pomare

Set against a ticking clock, this "taut and unpredictable" thriller pits a ruthless cult against a mother's love, revealing that our darkest secrets are the hardest ones to leave behind (Chris Hammer). Four days to go Amy has only ever known life in the Clearing, amidst her brothers and sisters--until a newcomer, a younger girl, joins the "family" and offers a glimpse of the outside world. Three days to go Freya is going to great lengths to seem like an "everyday mum," even as she maintains her isolated lifestyle, hoping to protect her young son and her dog. Two days to go When news breaks of a missing girl--a child the same age as Freya's son, Billy--Amy and Freya find themselves headed for a shocking collision. One day to go About author(s): J.P. Pomare has always been drawn to the dark. He grew up on a horse-racing farm in small town New Zealand with two brothers, a sister, two cats, and two border collies. He lives with his wife in Australia, where he works in marketing, writes fiction, and hosts a literary podcast (guests have included Joyce Carol Oates, Jonathan Safran Foer and E. Lockhart). His debut novel, Call Me Evie , was published in 2019.