The House in the Pines
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by Ana Reyes
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Publisher: Dutton
Hardcover: 336 Pages
Publisher Description
An instant New York Times bestseller!
Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed…
Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.
Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer—the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.
At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin….
Utterly unique and captivating, The House in the Pines keeps you guessing about whether we can ever fully confront the past and return home.
About the author
Ana Reyes is a writer in Los Angeles with an MFA from Louisiana State University. Her work has appeared in Bodega, Pear Noir, The New Delta Review and elsewhere. The House in the Pines is her first novel.
Read more about Ana ON HER WEBSITE
Praise
“This is an absolute, can’t-put-it-down thriller…It’s truly a wild ride that had me flying through chapter after chapter—which I think is the perfect way to kick off your year of reading.”—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Jan ’23 Pick)
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“Powerfully eerie and atmospheric, The House in the Pines is a compelling mix of psychological thriller and dark fairy tale. By focusing not on whodunnit but how and why, Ana Reyes’ stellar debut explores the many ways our memories can fail us—and how they can set us free.”—Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The House Across the Lake
“Loved it! Read in a single-sitting, totally enthralled and desperate to learn the truth!”—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Reyes’ debut is a gripping, intelligent thriller that chilled me to the bone. With its intricate plotting, gorgeous prose and complex, richly drawn characters, The House in the Pines is that rare book that you live inside from the first page to the last. I didn’t want it to end—and I can’t wait for readers to discover my new favorite author.”—Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here
“In The House in the Pines, Ana Reyes delves into a complex female friendship and the fragile nature of memory to weave together a smart, eerie, and completely addictive story of psychological suspense. Reyes is a debut author to watch.”—Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of Find Me
“The House in the Pines unfolds like a magic show. Atmospheric, twisty, and skillfully wrought—this was an utterly engrossing reading experience. I wish I could go back and experience it again for the first time.”—Susie Yang, New York Times bestselling author of White Ivy
“Thick psychological tension is heightened by Maya’s memory lapses and reality-bending perceptions, lending the story a dark, supernatural feel.”—Booklist