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Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number: 2022943485

ISBN: 978-1-4967-3856-1

First Kensington Hardcover Edition: January 2023

ISBN: 978-1-4967-3858-5 (ebook)

For my husband and children with all my love.

Acknowledgments

I am so grateful for all the people who helped bring All the Dark Places to life. To my writers group members, Tacey Derenzy, R. H. Buffington and Sandra Erni, thank you for your hard work, insight, and encouragement. Your contributions to my story are boundless. I hope I have satisfied your calls for “more Rita.” And Sandra, thank you for the twenty-five plus years of writing, reading and laughter!

And to Charlotte Smallwood, thank you for your eagerness to read more. Readers like you push me to do my best every day and I hope that I live up to your expectations.

To my wonderful editor, John Scognamiglio, a huge thank-you for saying yes to my manuscript and your enthusiasm for this story. Your suggestions made my novel so much better than I could have hoped. And thank-you to all the amazing people at Kensington who did such great work on this book.

To my incredible agent, Marlene Stringer, thank you so much for taking a chance on me. Among a million other things, you deftly handle my anxiety when it rears its ugly head. I can’t thank you enough.

A heartfelt thank-you to my children, Brittany, Becca and Nick. You are amazing people, and I am so proud of you. You inspire me to always follow my dreams. And your support means the world to me. And lastly, thank you to my husband, Fred, for not batting an eyelash when I told you I wanted to quit my teaching job to write full-time. I never could have gotten to this place without your steadfast support and hard work to ensure that the household stayed afloat. I am forever grateful for you and our beautiful family.

CHAPTER 1

Molly

SOMETIMES I WANT TO CAPTURE A HAPPY MOMENT TO KEEP FOREVER. Not like a picture or a video, but a feeling. A feeling that I want to relive for the rest of my life. (Why is it that nightmares insist on the same treatment?) I shudder and move away from the dark hallway and into the light of the living room, where my husband stands in front of the blazing fireplace while he relates a funny story to our friends. They’ve gathered for his birthday celebration and laugh with honest mirth. Everyone loves Jay. No one more than me.

The first week in January isn’t a great time to have a birthday, but since we have no choice in the matter, I’ve done my best to make everything light and festive. Jay’s fortieth is going to be one to remember if I can help it. The Christmas tree still shimmers in the corner, and white candles glow across the mantel, setting the photos there alight. Jay and I smiling and posing, the pictures illustrating our happy three-year marriage.