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Back When We Were Bright and Beautiful Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. Part One
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. Part Two
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. Part Three
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. Epilogue
  68. Author’s Note
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. About the Author
  71. Also by Jillian Medoff
  72. About the Publisher

Fifth novels are killers. This book was uniquely difficult and it exists only because a number of very smart people contributed their time, expertise, and advice. While it’s impossible to fully express my love and gratitude for all they’ve done on my behalf, here is my heartfelt attempt.

I am extremely grateful to the Mercer County Criminal Courthouse staff for their comprehensive description of the detention process, and to Kimberly Worth, Worth Jarrell LLC, for her painstaking review of the legal arguments depicted in these pages. A brilliant but busy litigator (who also happens to be my sister), Kim generously walked me through pre- and post-trial procedures, researched and answered all my questions, and vetted scenes in and out of the courtroom. If errors exist, I claim full responsibility.

I’d also like to extend my deep appreciation and awe to:

Emily Griffin, Jen Gates, and Nicole Dewey for their white-hot brilliance, diligence, encouragement, and kindness. To work with the same publishing team over several novels is a rare gift, one I never take for granted.

Jonathan Burnham for his editorial genius and tolerance for risk.

Erin Files, Alison Warren, and everyone at Aevitas Creative Management.

The Writers Room and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.

Tracy Locke, Katie O’Callaghan, Leah Wasielewski, Mary Ann Petyak, Micaela Carr, and everyone at Harper/HarperCollins.

Dr. Nan Jones and Dr. Karen Hopenwasser.

David Blumenstein, the Segal Group, and Jen Benz, Segal Benz, for time, space, and ongoing support. Special shout-out to all my Segal Benz coworkers.

Todd Lane for the insight and laughs but mostly the laughs.

Aimee Molloy for the podcast, for her wit and intelligence, and for sharing the grind, day in and day out.

Laura Zigman, Sue Halpern, Ann Bauer, Karen Bergreen, Liz Kaye, Colleen Magee, Catharine Hamrick, Laura Hanford, Erin Nauman, Jen Schuster, Stacey Simon, Ettore Toppi, Victoria Skurnick, and Diane Swisher for careful readings, wise counsel, foxhole humor, and respite from the absurdity.

Lewis Medoff, Naomi Medoff, Mara Medoff, Joy Dawson, Sam Worth, Alex Crowell, David Crombie, Jack Crombie, and Kennedy Crombie for your presence, warmth, and inspiration.

Finally, my husband, Keith Dawson, and daughters, Sarah, Liv, and Mollie for everything, always.

(Oh, and Goose, too, I guess.)

About the Author

JILLIAN MEDOFF is the author of the national bestseller I Couldn’t Love You More, as well as the novels This Could Hurt, Good Girls Gone Bad, and Hunger Point. A former fellow at MacDowell, Blue Mountain Center, VCCA, and Fundación Valparaiso, she has an MFA from NYU. In addition to writing fiction, Jillian has a long career in management consulting and is currently a senior consultant at Segal Benz, a division of the Segal Group.

Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.

Also by Jillian Medoff

Good Girls Gone Bad

Hunger Point

I Couldn’t Love You More

This Could Hurt

About the Publisher

Australia

HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.

Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

Canada