The Sea of Lost Girls

About the book

In the spirit of Daphne du Maurier, Shari Lapena, and Michelle Richmond, a gripping new thriller awaits from the author of The Lake of Dead Languages. This intense story is set in a prestigious prep school, where a woman's hidden past threatens to unravel her future.

Tess has strived to conceal her previous life, maintaining its secrecy. She is now the wife of a well-regarded professor at an exclusive boarding school, where she also teaches. Her son, Rudy, now seventeen, has always troubled her with his dark moods and intricate behavior. However, he appears to be flourishing: landing a prominent role in the school play and dating a bright, aspiring girl. Tess makes an effort to suppress memories of the mistakes she made nearly two decades ago, mostly succeeding.

Yet, everything changes one early morning when Tess receives a distressing text at 2:50 AM from Rudy, pleading for assistance. Upon fetching him, she discovers him drenched and trembling, sporting a conspicuous stain on his clothing. Subsequently, a call from the headmistress of Haywood school, Lila Zeller's lifeless body found on the shore, near where Tess retrieved Rudy, throws her into turmoil.

As the inquiry into Lila’s demise intensifies, Tess finds her family under siege from all directions. What initially appeared as a tragic accident transforms into a more nefarious scheme. Tess’s son is not only a suspect, but her husband comes under scrutiny as well. Uncovering Haywood’s tainted history, Tess realizes that some secrets refuse to remain hidden, no matter how well-guarded they are.