You Were Always Mine

August 20, 2018
Iowa school teacher Jess Chamberlain, the heroine of this harrowing domestic thriller from Baart (Little Broken Things), and her husband, Evan, a family practitioner, have been separated for six months, and it’s been hard on their 13-year-old son, Max, and their six-year-old adopted son, Gabe. When Evan is killed in a hunting accident in Minnesota, Jess is shocked and suspicious, especially since Evan didn’t hunt. With the support of her family and friends, Jess struggles to move on from the death of a man she still loved. As Jess attempts to retrace Evan’s steps leading up to what becomes increasingly clear was his murder, she discovers that Evan was communicating with Gabe’s birth mother and may have been onto something that hits very close to home. Heartbreaking letters and emails sent by Gabe’s birth mother to various others, including Gabe, add emotional heft. Baart sensitively mines the bonds of motherhood and marriage while shining a light on a darker side of the adoption industry. Agent: Danielle Egan-Miller, Brown & Miller Literary Assoc.

September 15, 2018
Jessica Chamberlain, the recently separated mother of two, never expected a call from the Scott County, Minnesota, Sheriff's Department. Auburn, Iowa, is a pretty small town, and she doesn't know anyone in Minnesota. Her husband, Evan, must have, though. His body has been found in the woods with injuries from a car accident and a fatal round of buckshot in his back. As Jessica pieces together the mystery of Evan's final days, she uncovers layers of deceit. Evan was a kind man, but it seems he'd been keeping things from her for years. When she realizes that his biggest secret has to do with her adopted son, she won't rest until she knows everything. Writing in the vein of Liane Moriarty, Kimberly Belle, and Mary Kubica, Baart explores the toughest questions around motherhood, marriage, and the secrets we keep. Baart lets her protagonist be messy, paranoid, and frustrating, allowing new discoveries to come with surprising costs. Although the novel could benefit from tighter pacing, plenty of twists and turns propel the story forward.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)