ISBN: 9780778364146
Publisher: MIRA
Publication Date: 5/1/2018
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 3.5 Stars CAUGHT IN THE BACKWASH, THEY HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES… For fans of Megan Abbott and Chris Bohjalian comes a novel of moral complexity about friends who must choose between self-preservation and doing the right thing in the wake of a fatal boating accident. Set in the moody off-season of Martha’s Vineyard, Everything That Follows is a plunge into the dark waters of secrets and flexible morals. The truth becomes whatever we say it is… Around midnight, three friends take their partying from bar to boat on a misty fall evening. Just as the weather deteriorates, one of them suddenly and confusingly goes overboard. Is it an accident? The result of an unwanted advance? His body disappears quickly, silently, into the dark water. The circumstances are murky, but what is clear is that the other two need to notify the authorities. Minutes become hours become days as they hesitate, caught up in their guilt and hope that their friend has somehow made it safely to shore. As valuable time passes, they find themselves deep in a moral morass with huge implications as they struggle to move forward and live with their dark secret.
Praise
"A novel that stays surprising from beginning to end and refuses to provide easy answers for the moral quandaries at its heart. There is nothing outlandish about the terrible situation Reilly’s characters confront--and force each other to confront--and its plausibility makes their story all the more riveting." — Suzanne Berne, author of The Dogs of Littlefield
"A skillfully wrought tale of atonement in a frame of psychological suspense."
— Booklist
"When the lives of three characters slip their moorings in the wake of a single, harrowing event, EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS explores not only the ways guilt can shapeshifter and grow, but how an idyllic place long considered home becomes more albatross than anchor. Smart, taught, and seductive, Reilly's second novel immediately catches you in its grip and doesn't let you go."
— Michelle Hoover, author of BOTTOMLAND and THE QUICKENING
"Taut with moral complexity and a subtly building tension, this is the kind of story that punishes you if you dare put it down."
—Kim Cross, New York Times best selling author of WHAT STANDS IN A STORM
About the Author
Photo by Geoff Hansen
I am a writer, hiker of mountains, swimmer of lakes, and reader of everything.
Before I got serious about writing books, I worked for President Obama as Deputy Associate Director at the White House Office of Management and Budget; and prior to that, as Spokesperson at the U.S. Treasury. I've worked at Environmental Defense Fund, a couple great consulting firms, and had more political internships than I can count. I started my career at Vermont Public Radio, where I'm now a regular commentator. I have a B.A. from the University of Vermont and an M.A. from the George Washington University.
So basically, I've had some real jobs too.
I grew up in the funky hamlet of Brattleboro, Vermont where I wrote terrible, heartfelt poetry in the woods. After an exciting detour in national politics, I'm back at it in Vermont.
When I'm not writing, I'm playing outside with my husband Dan and our two delightful daughters. Read More
