Editorial Content for The Gallagher Place

The Gray House once belonged to the Gallaghers. But that was before their family tragedies, and Caroline Gallagher decided to sell to the Fishers, who had long wanted to buy. After that, every summer, Marlowe Fisher escaped from her home in New York City to the Gray House in Hudson Valley. She and her brothers enjoyed an idyllic childhood romping around the countryside surrounding their estate during those months. But when Marlowe was about 15, her best friend, Nora, disappeared.

Nora would all but move into the Gray House during the summers as the two girls were inseparable. Sometimes Marlowe’s brothers joined in the fun, too. The four teens would explore the land and swim in the Bean River. One night, while Marlowe, her brothers, Nora and a couple of other friends were partying at the Gray House, Nora volunteered to empty the trash. She vanished without a trace into the dark.

"Debut novelist Julie Doar has done a masterful job here. She takes her readers on a rollercoaster ride around the Hudson Valley, through sinister forests and into abandoned cabins..."

Two decades later, Marlowe and her brothers take a walk to the Bend in the Bean, their childhood swimming hole. As they crest a rise on the hill, they spy a tent down on their property and go check it out. Inside, to their horror, they discover the body of Harmon Gallagher. What was he doing there? Of course, they call the police, who open an investigation. It doesn’t appear that Harmon’s death has any connection to Nora’s disappearance from so long ago, but the detectives ultimately move to reopen her case.

Marlowe always wanted answers, so it thrills her to see some action again. However, she doesn’t like the direction the police begin taking the investigation. They seem to suspect the Fishers of hiding something at the very least. That’s not possible. Marlowe doesn’t know what happened, but she is certain that her family had no hand in Nora going missing.

As with anyone’s life, if you delve deeply enough, you will uncover secrets. In THE GALLAGHER PLACE, there is an abundance of them to uncover. Family dynamics play heavily into the mystery. And there is small-town mentality to deal with as well. Besides, everyone knows that teenagers and neighbors can be unreasonable. Did anyone have something to gain by taking Nora out of the picture? That’s what the detectives have to figure out. Could she have run off of her own accord? Marlowe doesn’t think so. But why didn’t they hear anything that night? Yes, they had been drinking. Surely, though, no one could spirit away a vivacious, healthy girl from right outside their door without any of them noticing. But that’s what happened.

Debut novelist Julie Doar has done a masterful job here. She takes her readers on a rollercoaster ride around the Hudson Valley, through sinister forests and into abandoned cabins, even conjuring up a bogeyman in Mr. Babel --- a man made up to divert from the real danger. Well done, Ms. Doar.