When the Stars Go Dark

More about the book

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife comes an atmospheric novel of intertwined fate and heart-wrenching suspense. Anna Hart, a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco, is haunted by the darkest aspects of human nature. Following a personal tragedy, she retreats to Mendocino, a Northern California village where she spent summers with her grandparents, hoping to find solace. However, upon her arrival, she learns of a local teenager's disappearance. Despite her fragile state, she is drawn back into the world when a childhood friend, now the village sheriff, asks for her assistance. The situation escalates when a twelve-year-old girl is abducted, echoing a traumatic period from Anna's own childhood marked by unsolved murders in Mendocino. As the past collides with the present, Anna realizes her return is not merely coincidental. Her experiences have equipped her with unique insights into the dynamics between victims and predators. As she becomes increasingly obsessed with the missing girls, Anna must confront her own barriers to healing, discovering that true courage involves opening herself to others. This tense, affecting story weaves together elements of true crime, trauma theory, and a hint of the metaphysical, exploring fate, redemption, and the journey to reclaim faith in life and one another.