About the Book
A feminist fairytale retelling becomes a real-life nightmare.
From USA Today bestselling author Melissa F. Miller comes a haunting psychological thriller about two women trapped by a storm, tormented by the past, and desperate to survive the present.
A stay in a remote cabin is supposed to help Emily Rose finish her book-a feminist retelling of a fairytale about a princess and her lady-in-waiting imprisoned in a tower. Instead, it becomes the setting for a reckoning seven years in the making.
Emily has spent years hiding her trauma from the night she found her roommate murdered. When her husband, Tristan, arranges a writing retreat for her, she meets Alex, the owner of the isolated property and a woman with secrets of her own-including one that could destroy Emily's marriage.
Trapped by a fierce storm and haunted by the brutal attacks that marked their pasts, a series of unnerving events-a watcher in the woods, a smashed cell phone, slashed tires-forces the women together to rescue themselves from a very real, present danger.
Interspersed with passages of The Tower, Emily's work-in-progress, Cut Off from Sky and Earth is a chilling exploration of the weight of memory, the burden of trauma, and the courage it takes to break free.
For readers of psychological suspense, feminist thrillers, and literary mysteries with a fairytale edge.
About the Author :
Melissa F. Miller is a multi-time USA Today bestselling author of mystery, thriller, suspense, and romance novels. Formerly a complex commercial litigator, Melissa graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in medieval literature and creative writing poetry and earned her JD, cum laude, from the Duquesne University School of Law.After fifteen years, Melissa traded the practice of law for the art of storytelling, drawing on her legal background and love of research to craft fast-paced, twisty books for readers who believe light drives out darkness, love is brave, and kind is strong. She writes strong, resilient characters who tackle serious (and sometimes dark) issues and themes with heart.She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Novelists, Inc. When she's not writing, you can find her tending her garden, doing yoga, or drinking coffee. Melissa currently lives outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her family and their rescue cat and dog. The cat's in charge.
Review :
In Miller's psychological thriller, a secretive married couple become the targets of a serial killer.
It's 2024, and Pennsylvanians Emily and Tristan Rose have been married for five years, yet both have hidden important facts about themselves. Emily found her college roommate, Cassie, brutally murdered seven years before; she still suffers from PTSD and believes she was the intended victim. When she meets Tristan shortly after the attack, she's relieved to have found someone who apparently doesn't know about the violent incident. However, he not only knows all about the killing, but he also believes that he knows who's responsible.
When another local homicide eerily mirrors Cassie's, Tristan is convinced that killer has tracked Emily down, so he persuades her to go on a "solo retreat" in a remote cabin in the North Carolina mountains, ostensibly so she can focus on finishing her novel-in-progress. When he drops her off, they run into Lexi Lincoln, who was attacked and left for dead in Tristan's hometown 21 years earlier. The past comes back to haunt all three characters as they become drawn into a twisted cat-and-mouse game with a murderer. Miller delivers a thrilling mystery with sharp twists and taut pacing, but it also powerfully touches on deeper themes, such as trauma, resilience, and the meaning of friendship. Threaded throughout the narrative is the fairy tale Maid Maleen, the subject of Emily's novel about a young princess and her maid; they're locked in a tower and forgotten, and they must courageously act to save themselves. This aspect is one of the novel's greatest strengths, as this story reflects the growing bond between Emily and Lexi, who must rely on each other to escape their own metaphorical prison: "Your prince has forgotten you. Your father is most likely dead. If anyone remembers we're here, they no longer care. Nobody's coming to save us, Maleen." Some plot turns are predictable, but the final twist arrives unexpectedly, although readers may be divided by its unconventionality.
A suspenseful story of buried trauma, female friendship, and the cost of secrets. -Kirkus Reviews
[This] is an intense psychological thriller. It's a story within a story, told from multiple points of view. The character, the plot, the pacing. Everything came together to create a super creepy experience. I read it in one day, staying up late and on the edge of my seat. I think the less you know going into it, the better. I will absolutely read more books from this author. -LibraryThing Early Reviewers
Some books pull you in... this one locked the door and threw away the key. ... [D]ark, clever, and layered with fairy-tale shadows, gripping suspense, and a bond between two unforgettable women. -Bibliophile.Blissful
