Reviews
"This is the book that every reader longs for: smart and thrilling and impossible to put down. Read it once at breakneck speed to find out what happens next, and then read it slowly to marvel at the perfect prose and the masterwork of a plot. It is an alarmingly good novel." -- Ann Patchett, author of Commonwealth, State of Wonder, and Bel Canto "Here is that perfect combination of a luminous writer and a big, page-turning story. This hugely suspenseful novel will speak to anyone who has ever felt responsible for keeping a loved one safe, whether it was a child, a partner, a parent, or a friend. Meloy's characters--the adults and the children--feel to me like real, living people I'll never forget." --Helen Fielding, author of Bridget Jones's Diary "The plot unfolds with terrifying realism... This writer can apparently do it all--New Yorker stories, children's books, award-winning literary novels, and now, a tautly plotted and culturally savvy emotional thriller. Do not start this book after dinner or you will almost certainly be up all night." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review Praise for Maile Meloy's novels: "Every once in a while a book comes along that upends popular notions of American fiction . . . spectacular." -- The New York Times "Somehow she pulls off what never quite seemed possible before: combining the meticulous realism of domestic fiction with the witchery of a natural-born storyteller." -- The New York Times Magazine "She's such a talented and unpredictable writer that I'm officially joining her fan club; whatever she writes next, I'll gladly read it." --Curtis Sittenfeld, The New York Times Book Review "Always true to her wide-ranging though consistently introspective characters, Meloy convincingly depicts the inchoate emotion that drives people, while also distilling meaning from it." -- The Atlantic "Bittersweet, wise, with a fantastic sense of character and history told in prose that exists entirely to serve her tale." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Rich, moving and full of human comedy. [Meloy] is an enormously empathetic writer." -- The New York Times Book Review "Seductive, absorbing . . . The tone is by turns wry, ironic, affectionate--and consistently engaging. . . . Meloy has shown herself to be a luminous writer." -- The Philadelphia Inquirer "[Meloy is] a wise and astonishing conjurer of convincing realities." -- The New Yorker, "This is the book that every reader longs for: smart and thrilling and impossible to put down. Read it once at breakneck speed to find out what happens next, and then read it slowly to marvel at the perfect prose and the masterwork of a plot. It is an alarmingly good novel." -- Ann Patchett, author of Commonwealth, State of Wonder, and Bel Canto "Here is that perfect combination of a luminous writer and a big, page-turning story. This hugely suspenseful novel will speak to anyone who has ever felt responsible for keeping a loved one safe, whether it was a child, a partner, a parent, or a friend. Meloy's characters--the adults and the children--feel to me like real, living people I'll never forget." --Helen Fielding, author of Bridget Jones's Diary Praise for Maile Meloy's novels: "Every once in a while a book comes along that upends popular notions of American fiction . . . spectacular." -- The New York Times "Somehow she pulls off what never quite seemed possible before: combining the meticulous realism of domestic fiction with the witchery of a natural-born storyteller." -- The New York Times Magazine "She's such a talented and unpredictable writer that I'm officially joining her fan club; whatever she writes next, I'll gladly read it." --Curtis Sittenfeld, The New York Times Book Review "Always true to her wide-ranging though consistently introspective characters, Meloy convincingly depicts the inchoate emotion that drives people, while also distilling meaning from it." -- The Atlantic "Bittersweet, wise, with a fantastic sense of character and history told in prose that exists entirely to serve her tale." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Rich, moving and full of human comedy. [Meloy] is an enormously empathetic writer." -- The New York Times Book Review "Seductive, absorbing . . . The tone is by turns wry, ironic, affectionate--and consistently engaging. . . . Meloy has shown herself to be a luminous writer." -- The Philadelphia Inquirer "[Meloy is] a wise and astonishing conjurer of convincing realities." -- The New Yorker, "Our advice: Don't read Maile Meloy's new adrenaline-driven thriller of class, race, and disappeared children after dark... Do Not Become Alarmed will keep you up all night, compelled by the book's twisty plot and seductive, tightly wound suspense." --Elle "This summer's undoubtable smash hit... an addictive, heart-palpitating story." --Marie Claire "The plot unfolds with terrifying realism... This writer can apparently do it all--New Yorker stories, children's books, award-winning literary novels, and now, a tautly plotted and culturally savvy emotional thriller. Do not start this book after dinner or you will almost certainly be up all night." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Ominous, addictive... In crafting this high-stakes page-turner, Meloy excels as a master of suspense." -- Publishers Weekly "What begins as a holiday escape becomes a riveting exploration of modern parenthood." -- BookPage "A taut, gripping thriller...[an] entertaining examination of privileged, modern families." - Library Journal "Meloy's writing is literary but also page-turnery (my highest compliment), and Do Not Become Alarmed, about a vacation gone awry, promises to be both." -Parnassus Musing "This is the book that every reader longs for: smart and thrilling and impossible to put down. Read it once at breakneck speed to find out what happens next, and then read it slowly to marvel at the perfect prose and the masterwork of a plot. It is an alarmingly good novel." -- Ann Patchett, author of Commonwealth, State of Wonder, and Bel Canto "Here is that perfect combination of a luminous writer and a big, page-turning story. This hugely suspenseful novel will speak to anyone who has ever felt responsible for keeping a loved one safe, whether it was a child, a partner, a parent, or a friend. Meloy's characters--the adults and the children--feel to me like real, living people I'll never forget." --Helen Fielding, author of Bridget Jones's Diary Praise for Maile Meloy's novels: "Every once in a while a book comes along that upends popular notions of American fiction . . . spectacular." -- The New York Times "Somehow she pulls off what never quite seemed possible before: combining the meticulous realism of domestic fiction with the witchery of a natural-born storyteller." -- The New York Times Magazine "She's such a talented and unpredictable writer that I'm officially joining her fan club; whatever she writes next, I'll gladly read it." --Curtis Sittenfeld, The New York Times Book Review "Always true to her wide-ranging though consistently introspective characters, Meloy convincingly depicts the inchoate emotion that drives people, while also distilling meaning from it." -- The Atlantic "Bittersweet, wise, with a fantastic sense of character and history told in prose that exists entirely to serve her tale." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Rich, moving and full of human comedy. [Meloy] is an enormously empathetic writer." -- The New York Times Book Review "Seductive, absorbing . . . The tone is by turns wry, ironic, affectionate--and consistently engaging. . . . Meloy has shown herself to be a luminous writer." -- The Philadelphia Inquirer "[Meloy is] a wise and astonishing conjurer of convincing realities." -- The New Yorker, "This is the book that every reader longs for: smart and thrilling and impossible to put down. Read it once at breakneck speed to find out what happens next, and then read it slowly to marvel at the perfect prose and the masterwork of a plot. It is an alarmingly good novel." -- Ann Patchett, author of Commonwealth, State of Wonder, and Bel Canto "Here is that perfect combination of a luminous writer and a big, page-turning story. This hugely suspenseful novel will speak to anyone who has ever felt responsible for keeping a loved one safe, whether it was a child, a partner, a parent, or a friend. Meloy's characters--the adults and the children--feel to me like real, living people I'll never forget." --Helen Fielding, author of Bridget Jones's Diary "The plot unfolds with terrifying realism... This writer can apparently do it all--New Yorker stories, children's books, award-winning literary novels, and now, a tautly plotted and culturally savvy emotional thriller. Do not start this book after dinner or you will almost certainly be up all night." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Ominous, addictive... In crafting this high-stakes page-turner, Meloy excels as a master of suspense." -- Publishers Weekly "What begins as a holiday escape becomes a riveting exploration of modern parenthood." -- BookPage Praise for Maile Meloy's novels: "Every once in a while a book comes along that upends popular notions of American fiction . . . spectacular." -- The New York Times "Somehow she pulls off what never quite seemed possible before: combining the meticulous realism of domestic fiction with the witchery of a natural-born storyteller." -- The New York Times Magazine "She's such a talented and unpredictable writer that I'm officially joining her fan club; whatever she writes next, I'll gladly read it." --Curtis Sittenfeld, The New York Times Book Review "Always true to her wide-ranging though consistently introspective characters, Meloy convincingly depicts the inchoate emotion that drives people, while also distilling meaning from it." -- The Atlantic "Bittersweet, wise, with a fantastic sense of character and history told in prose that exists entirely to serve her tale." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Rich, moving and full of human comedy. [Meloy] is an enormously empathetic writer." -- The New York Times Book Review "Seductive, absorbing . . . The tone is by turns wry, ironic, affectionate--and consistently engaging. . . . Meloy has shown herself to be a luminous writer." -- The Philadelphia Inquirer "[Meloy is] a wise and astonishing conjurer of convincing realities." -- The New Yorker
