They stopped at a crosswalk as a fire truck screamed by. Claudia had held her ears against that sound since childhood, but she let it smash into her eardrums today. It was a different pain than the one in her heart and for a moment it made her forget.

“Does this mean you’re going to go to the police?” asked Edie as they approached the copy store.

“Maybe,” said Claudia. She’d looked it up online: In New York State victims had twenty-five years to report their rapists. “Or maybe after all this, they’ll come to me.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the most profound privilege of being a published author is the opportunity to work with talented people who care about your writing. In my case, I have a dream team. Thank you, first and foremost, to my agent, Stephanie Kip Rostan. I don’t think this book would exist without your constant support and guidance, your honest advice, and your bold ideas. Thank you to Courtney Paganelli of Levine Greenberg Rostan for being one of the best brainstorming companions I’ve ever had. And thank you to Kelley Ragland at Minotaur for your patience, your trust, and your brilliant notes.

Thank you to Laura Lippman for providing time and space to write. And thank you to my writing buddies, Katherine Dykstra, Laura McHugh, and Adam Sternbergh, for the countless conversations, emails, texts, and DMs that kept my spirits up and my focus on the final product—no matter how far away it sometimes seemed.

Thank you to my readers: Katie Brown, Barbara Dahl, Erin Donaghue, Laura McHugh, and Susan Dahl Sharer. Thank you to Danielle Citron, Allison Leotta, Andrea Pino- Silva, and Amy Telsey for your expertise.

Thank you to my girlfriends: Melissa Tepe, Liora Brener Fogelman, Emmy Betz, Heidi Altman, and Naomi Walcott. Your friendship has sustained me for more than two decades and your encouragement as I struggled with this book buoyed me when I needed it most.

Thank you to my parents, Barbara and Bill Dahl, for giving me the rare and precious gift of a happy childhood.

Thank you to my husband, Joel Bukiewicz: marrying you was the best decision I’ve ever made. Thank you to my sister-in-law, Lori Bukiewicz, for taking such good care of my son (and me) while I wrote. And thank you to my son, Mick Bukiewicz, for expanding my heart and blowing my mind every single day.

This book is dedicated to my sister, Susan Dahl Sharer, who has had my back for forty-two years. You’ve always known the meaning of sisterhood, puss, even when I couldn’t quite figure it out.

Also by Julia Dahl

ALSO BY JULIA DAHL

Conviction

Run You Down

Invisible City

About the Author