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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
A lot
Murder, violence, and a catastrophic climactic sequence; sustained darkness throughout
Language
Some
Strong language; gritty crime fiction register
Sexual Content
None
No sexual content
Substance Use
Some
Alcoholism is a significant subplot
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Child neglect, guilt, grief, and the psychological damage passed across generations
What this book is about
After thirty years in prison, Walk's childhood friend Vincent returns to Cape Haven. Walk, now the town's police chief, tries to protect Vincent and also keep watch over Duchess Day Radley — a fierce thirteen-year-old guarding her little brother and their damaged mother. Whitaker's award-winning crime novel is devastating in its exploration of guilt, loyalty, and the ways a town can never truly heal.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Murder and crime violence
Child neglect themes
Substance abuse subplot
Intense emotional darkness
Reader Verification
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