“Compelling, well paced…highly-recommended; readers will fall for Crouch’s storytelling.” —Booklist
The Briars
A Novel
Description
The USA TODAY bestselling author of Middletide returns with a lush and atmospheric novel of suspense following a young woman whose job as a game warden puts her in the path of a murderer in a small town eager to protect its own.
Desperate to escape a relationship gone bad, Annie Heston flees north to accept a job as a game warden in Lake Lumin, a picturesque town in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
A cougar has been spotted in the area, and as Annie warns the community of the threat, she quickly discovers that not everyone in the tight-knit town is welcoming of outsiders, except for Daniel Barela, a reclusive carpenter who lives in the shadow of the mountain. They form an instant bond, though Annie soon comes to realize there is more to his past than meets the eye.
When the body of a young woman is found in the briars that border Daniel’s property, the peace Annie has found in Lake Lumin shatters. As she assists the local sheriff with the investigation, Annie must rely on her wilderness training and intuition to find a murderer hiding in plain sight.
Urgent and emotionally complex, The Briars is a captivating literary thriller that marries an exploration of human nature with a plot as thorny and twisted as the brambles for which it is named.
Reviews
“[A] crackling regional mystery…readers will find it hard to look away.” —Publishers Weekly
“Crouch’s latest goes beyond the typical thriller. It blends romance, suspense, and cozy small-town charm, all set against a vivid outdoorsy backdrop. Fans of Peter Heller will find much to enjoy.” —Library Journal
“Sarah Crouch’s delicate and tantalizing prose in The Briars builds the scaffolding for an emotionally charged mystery as a troubled game warden probes for answers in the wilds of the lush Pacific Northwest -- and in the vagaries of the treacherous landscape within. With complicated twists that build to a satisfying surprise, The Briars delivers a powerful emotional experience readers won’t be able to shake long after they put the book down. One of the best books I’ve read this year.” —Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper
"The Briars is a riveting thriller set in the mountainous Pacific Northwest that will keep you on your toes. After a young woman’s body is found in small-town Lake Lumin, the mystery of what happened unfurls through the lenses of Annie, a game warden fleeing heartbreak, and Daniel, a loner hiding from a secretive past. Get ready for twists and turns as Sarah Crouch’s crisp prose leads you to a stunning ending." —Kristin Koval, author of Penitence
