From Publishers Weekly
In Canadian author Stuart’s dark and deliciously disturbing debut, enigmatic Malcolm Boon hires Clare O’Dey, who has run away from her husband, to come to the remote mining town of Blackmore (in what could be either Canada or the U.S.) and search for Shayna Fowles, who disappeared three weeks earlier. Clare and Shayna have much in common. Both women were drug users and trapped in loveless, violent marriages; they even resemble each other, and their husbands are likewise similar. Vanishing and using another name was easy for Clare, who wonders if Shayna did the same. Moving into a ramshackle trailer next to Shayna’s parents’ home, Clare becomes involved with local drug dealer Charlie Merritt, single mom Sara Gorman, and Shayna’s ex-husband. Secrets abound in this mountain town, which has been dying since a tragedy shuttered the local mine. Clare doesn’t know whom to trust, including Boon, who’s working on behalf of an unknown client. Stuart’s perceptive look at addiction, abuse, and obsession will resonate with fans of psychological thrillers. Agent: Chris Bucci, McDermid Agency (Canada). (July)\n
Review
"Stuart is a sensitive writer who has given Clare a painful past and just enough backbone to bear it." (New York Times)
"[A] dark and deliciously disturbing debut . . . Stuart’s perceptive look at addiction, abuse, and obsession will resonate with fans of psychological thrillers." (Publishers Weekly)
"A haunting psychological thriller that builds to a tumultuous climax. It is impossible to put down, or to look away." (Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of My Sister's Grave )
“Still Mine delivers all the nail-biting moments of a fast-paced thriller and filters them through the eyes of girl-with-a-past Clare O’Dey: deeply flawed yet instantly recognizable, O’Dey is a noir detective hero for a postmodern age. Author Amy Stuart sends one missing woman out to look for another one, and the result is chilling. You’ll find yourself turning the pages faster and faster.” (Elisabeth de Mariaffi, author of The Devil You Know )
“A haunting treasure of a book that burrowed its way into my psyche as I read it.… Not since The Silent Wife have I been rendered so powerlessly riveted by a psychological thriller. I can’t wait to read what Stuart writes next.” (Marissa Stapley, author of Mating for Life )
“The cliffhanger will have you continuing to bite your nails until there’s a sequel.” (RT Book Reviews)
“Twisty and swift, Amy Stuart’s Still Mine is a darkly entertaining mystery machine. But what will really surprise you is the emotional foundation on which it has been built.” (Andrew Pyper, bestselling author of The Demonologist and The Damned )
“An intricately woven thriller.... You’ll want desperately to solve the mystery not only of the missing Shayna, but of Clare O’Dey, Amy Stuart’s heartbreaking heroine, on the run from the darkest forces both within and without—and you’ll have a hard time forgetting the everytown of Blackstone and its scheming, desperate inhabitants.... A vivid and haunting debut.” (Holly LeCraw, author of The Swimming Pool )
“A gripping page-turner, with a plot that takes hold of you and drags you through the story at breakneck speed. The characters are compelling, the setting chilling and the suspense ever-present. Add to that, Stuart has an ability to tap into the dark psychology behind addiction and abuse, and to bring these complex struggles to life in a way that stays with you for days.” (Toronto Star)
“From its evocative opening to its heart-pounding conclusion, Still Mine is a gripping mystery that I felt desperate to solve. Amy Stuart paints a vivid picture of the stark mountain town, Blackmore, and the cast of shadowy characters who inhabit it. A tense and absorbing read.” (Lucy Clarke, author of The Blue )
“An impressive debut, rooted in character rather than trope, in fundamental understanding rather than rote puzzle-solving.” (The Globe and Mail)
"Stuart has created a likeable heroine, complete with some pretty serious flaws. Between Clare and the other characters of Blackmore, the story is both haunting and compelling." (Vancouver Sun)
"The rabbit hole goes deep in this one, and it's easy to lose hours on it." (WomansDay.com)
About the Author
Amy Stuart is the #1 bestselling author of three novels: Still Mine, Still Water, and Still Here. Shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Best First Novel Award and winner of the 2011 Writers’ Union of Canada Short Prose Competition, Amy is the founder of Writerscape, an online community for hopeful and emerging writers. Amy lives in Toronto with her husband and their three sons. Connect with her on her website AmyStuart.ca and on Twitter @AmyFStuart.
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Still Mine
