From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest—a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick—comes a riveting new novel of psychological suspense about a young woman plagued by night terrors after a childhood trauma who wakes one evening to find a corpse at her feet.
Everyone knows the story of “the girl from Widow Hills.”
Arden Maynor was just a child when she was swept away while sleepwalking during a terrifying rainstorm and went missing for days. Strangers and friends, neighbors and rescue workers, set up search parties and held vigils, praying for her safe return. Against all odds, she was found, alive, clinging to a storm drain. The girl from Widow Hills was a living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book. Fame followed. Fans and fan letters, creeps, and stalkers. And every year, the anniversary. It all became too much. As soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and disappeared from the public eye.
Now a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden goes by Olivia. She’s managed to stay off the radar for the last few years. But with the twentieth anniversary of her rescue approaching, the media will inevitably renew its interest in Arden. Where is she now? Soon Olivia feels like she’s being watched and begins sleepwalking again, like she did long ago, even waking outside her home. Until late one night she jolts awake in her yard. At her feet is the corpse of a man she knows—from her previous life, as Arden Maynor.
And now, the girl from Widow Hills is about to become the center of the story, once again, in this propulsive page-turner from suspense master Megan Miranda.
Simon & Schuster (June 23, 2020)
A July 2020 Indie Next List Pick
A June 2020 LibraryReads Pick
“Miranda, a best-selling author of thrillers for both adults and YAs, sprinkles the present-day narrative with transcripts and reports from Olivia’s past, building suspense with startling plot twists that lead to a stunning climax. Another compulsive page-turner from an accomplished author.”—Booklist
“This is a great whodunit, done well. Olivia/Arden narrates but Miranda (The Last House Guest) creatively uses media transcripts, newspaper reports, book excerpts, and voicemails to piece together her fragmented story that ends with a chilling twist.”—Library Journal
“A hauntingly atmospheric and gorgeously written page-turner, The Girl from Widow Hills is a deeply thought-provoking, riveting mystery about the complex weight of history and the dangerous power of the lies we tell ourselves.”—Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia and A Good Marriage
“Sleep-walking is creepy. You are asleep, but you’re walking through the night–like the living dead. I knew when I started this book, I was in for some shivers. But I had no idea the terrors that were in store. A frightening, fun read!”—R.L. Stine, bestselling author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street series
“With Hitchcockian flair, Megan Miranda shrewdly examines what becomes of the people at the center of those rare, sensational news stories that capture the nation’s attention. The Girl from Widow Hills gave me the creeps in the best possible way.”—Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network
“Miranda flaunt[s] her considerable talent for jaw-dropping, yet believable, twists. Even jaded readers might not see this one coming. An unusual heroine anchors this creepy, fast-paced chiller. This is Miranda’s best book yet.”—Kirkus
“Sometimes you come across a thriller which stands out. This is one. This intelligent, pacy read is a different take on the ‘missing girl scenario’ with characters who aren’t always what they seem. You might not get a good night’s sleep again – especially if you’re prone to go walkabout in the night.”—Jane Corry, Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of My Husband’s Wife