Paxos, Greece. The vacation house is a luxurious getaway for a wealthy English family. One hot summer night, while the parents and their friends drink wine and amuse themselves, a young woman --- the teenage daughter of the Greek caretaker --- ventures for a walk on their private beach. Her life will never be the same again. London, England, 10 years later. Julia is the perfect spouse and mother. But behind her winning smile is a stifled woman trapped in a gilded cage, stricken with anxiety and perfectionism. When Julia meets Laurel, a therapist who promises to help her find fulfillment, Julia opens herself up to the hope of a different future. What happened in Greece all those years ago that binds these two women together? And will uncovering the truth destroy everything…or set them free?

Paxos, Greece. The vacation house is a luxurious getaway for a wealthy English family. One hot summer night, while the parents and their friends drink wine and amuse themselves, a young woman --- the teenage daughter of the Greek caretaker --- ventures for a walk on their private beach. Her life will never be the same again. London, England, 10 years later. Julia is the perfect spouse and mother. But behind her winning smile is a stifled woman trapped in a gilded cage, stricken with anxiety and perfectionism. When Julia meets Laurel, a therapist who promises to help her find fulfillment, Julia opens herself up to the hope of a different future. What happened in Greece all those years ago that binds these two women together? And will uncovering the truth destroy everything…or set them free?

The Edgar-nominated, #1 internationally bestselling author of THE DAUGHTER and THE PLAYGROUND weaves a breathtaking tale of betrayal, family and secrets from the past in this crackling novel of psychological suspense.

Two women. Two secrets. One terrible night.

PAXOS, GREECE

The vacation house is a luxurious getaway for a wealthy English family, windows open to sun and the sea, a sparkling swimming pool and a verdant garden. One hot summer night, while the parents and their friends drink wine and amuse themselves, a young woman --- the teenage daughter of the Greek caretaker --- ventures for a walk on their private beach. Her life will never be the same again.

LONDON, ENGLAND, 10 YEARS LATER

Julia is the perfect spouse and mother. Slender, blonde and expensively dressed, she’s the classic “yummy mummy” of high society: cook, organizer, arm candy and speechwriter to her influential husband.

But behind her winning smile is a stifled woman trapped in a gilded cage, stricken with anxiety and perfectionism. When Julia meets Laurel, a therapist who promises to help her find fulfillment, Julia opens herself up to the hope of a different future.

BOUND BY THE PAST

What happened in Greece all those years ago that binds these two women together? And will uncovering the truth destroy everything…or set them free?

Audiobook available, read by Amalia Vitale

Shanghai, 2007: Feeling betrayed by her American mother's engagement to their rich landlord, Lu Fang, teenager Alva begins plotting her escape. But the exclusive American School --- a potential ticket out --- is not what she imagined, and she's surprised to discover an institution run by an exclusive community of expats, and the ever-wilder thrills of a city where foreigners can ostensibly act as they please. Qingdao, 1985: Newlywed Lu Fang works as a lowly shipping clerk. Though he aspires to a bright future, he is one of many casualties of harsh political reforms. Then China opens up to foreigners and capital, and Lu Fang meets a woman who makes him question what he should settle for.

Shanghai, 2007: Feeling betrayed by her American mother's engagement to their rich landlord, Lu Fang, teenager Alva begins plotting her escape. But the exclusive American School --- a potential ticket out --- is not what she imagined, and she's surprised to discover an institution run by an exclusive community of expats, and the ever-wilder thrills of a city where foreigners can ostensibly act as they please. Qingdao, 1985: Newlywed Lu Fang works as a lowly shipping clerk. Though he aspires to a bright future, he is one of many casualties of harsh political reforms. Then China opens up to foreigners and capital, and Lu Fang meets a woman who makes him question what he should settle for.

Part mesmerizing coming-of-age tale, part intimate family drama, this stunning debut novel follows a young woman searching for belonging and opportunity in a rapidly changing world.

Shanghai, 2007: Feeling betrayed by her American mother's engagement to their rich landlord, Lu Fang, teenager Alva begins plotting her escape. But the exclusive American School --- a potential ticket out --- is not what she imagined, and she's surprised to discover an institution run by an exclusive community of expats, and the ever-wilder thrills of a city where foreigners can ostensibly act as they please.

Qingdao, 1985: Newlywed Lu Fang works as a lowly shipping clerk. Though he aspires to a bright future, he is one of many casualties of harsh political reforms. Then China opens up to foreigners and capital, and Lu Fang meets a woman who makes him question what he should settle for.

Seamlessly alternating between these two points of view, RIVER EAST, RIVER WEST explores complex questions of identity as Alva comes of age: Is she a local or a foreigner? Who is this man her mother married, and can he be a father when she never had one? A powerful reversal of the east-to-west immigrant narrative set against China's economic rise, this lauded debut novel is a profoundly moving portrait of girlhood, race and class, cultural identity and belonging, as it is the seductive allure of the American Dream.

Audiobook available, read by David Shih and Jennifer Lim