Sarah Perry Books

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice - A Barnes & Noble Discover Pick - A BookPage Best Book of the Year - A Poets & Writers Notable Nonfiction Debut of the Year "Stunning . . . A graceful and powerful memorial."--Entertainment Weekly "Raw and perfect."--Laura Miller, Slate When Sarah Perry was twelve, she saw a partial eclipse; she took it as a good omen for her and her mother, Crystal. But that moment of darkness foreshadowed a much larger one: two days later, Crystal was murdered in their home in rural Maine. It took twelve years to find the killer. In that time, Sarah rebuilt her life amid abandonment, police interrogations, and the exacting toll of trauma. She dreamed of a trial, but when the day came, it brought no closure. It was not her mother's death she wanted to understand, but her life. She began her own investigation, one that drew her back to Maine, deep into the darkness of a small American town. A memoir of "unerring power and hard-won wisdom" and a "tender elegy"* for a mother lost, with After the Eclipse "Perry succeeds in restoring her mother's humanity and her own" (New York Times Book Review). * Margo Jefferson

Illustrations present such imaginative possibilities as worms with wheels, caterpillar toothpaste, and whales in outer space.

This illustrated collection of essays explores the delightful and complex world of candy, blending humor and sophistication. The author, known for their previous work "After the Eclipse," offers a unique perspective on the joys and intricacies of candy culture. Accompanied by charming illustrations from Forsyth Harmon, the book captures both simple pleasures and deeper reflections, making it a captivating read for candy enthusiasts and casual readers alike.

A defence and celebration of the Essex Girl by the best-selling author of The Essex Serpent.

A dazzling new work of literary fiction from the author of The Essex Serpent, a story of love and astronomy told over the course of twenty years through the lives of two improbable best friends. Thomas Hart and Grace Macaulay have lived all their lives in the small Essex town of Aldleigh. Though separated in age by three decades, the pair are kindred spirits—torn between their commitment to religion and their desire to explore the world beyond their small Baptist community. It is two romantic relationships that will rend their friendship, and in the wake of this rupture, Thomas develops an obsession with a vanished nineteenth-century astronomer said to haunt a nearby manor, and Grace flees Aldleigh entirely for London. Over the course of twenty years, by coincidence and design, Thomas and Grace will find their lives brought back into orbit as the mystery of the vanished astronomer unfolds into a devastating tale of love and scientific pursuit. Thomas and Grace will ask themselves what it means to love and be loved, what is fixed and what is mutable, how much of our fate is predestined and written in the stars, and whether they can find their way back to each other. A thrillingly ambitious novel of friendship, faith, and unrequited love, rich in symmetry and symbolism, Enlightenment is a shimmering wonder of a book and Sarah Perry’s finest work to date. 

STRANGE NEWS OUT OF ESSEX London 1893. When Cora Seaborne's husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness: her marriage was not a happy one, and she never suited the role of society wife. Accompanied by her son Francis - a curious, obsessive boy - she leaves town for Essex, where she hopes fresh air and open space will provide the refuge they need. When they take lodgings in Colchester, rumours reach them from further up the estuary that the mythical Essex Serpent, once said to roam the marshes claiming human lives, has returned to the coastal parish of Aldwinter. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist with no patience for religion or superstition, is immediately enthralled, convinced that what the local people think is a magical beast may be a previously undiscovered species. As she sets out on its trail, she is introduced to William Ransome, Aldwinter's vicar. Like Cora, Will is deeply suspicious of the rumours, but he thinks they are founded on moral panic, a flight from real faith. As he tries to calm his parishioners, he and Cora strike up an intense relationship, and although they agree on absolutely nothing, they find themselves inexorably drawn together and torn apart, eventually changing each other's lives in ways entirely unexpected. Told with exquisite grace and intelligence, this novel is most of all a celebration of love, and the many different guises it can take.

From the author of the bestselling The Essex Serpent comes a darkly inventive and deeply moving novel that speaks urgently to our times.

From the author of the bestselling The Essex Serpent comes a darkly inventive and deeply moving novel that speaks urgently to our times.

The haunting and hypnotic debut novel from the author of the bestselling The Essex Serpent.

Exploring the delightful universe of candy, this illustrated collection of essays presents both simple joys and complex indulgences. The award-winning author offers a sophisticated yet playful look at the diverse pleasures associated with sweets, inviting readers to savor the nostalgia and artistry behind their favorite confections.