The Dark We Know

When her physically abusive father dies, 18-year-old bisexual art student Isadora Chang returns to the old mining town of Slater after two years away. While she’s there collecting her part of the inheritance, Isa must also redo her portfolio after botching her showcase by submitting pieces that didn’t reflect the theme—and that she has no recollection of creating. Initially reluctant to interact with townspeople, she’s soon approached by estranged friend Mason Kane. He embroils her in his investigation of the disappearance of “town princess” Paige Vandersteen and how it connects to the deaths by suicide of their two best friends from childhood, as well as other seemingly unexplainable moments from Isa’s life. Balanced prose with the pace of an unrelenting thriller details Isa’s internal struggles with her and Mason’s quest to free the town from a mysterious entity. In this enthralling horror debut, Lee carefully threads together Isa’s reconnecting with her past, unearthing the secrets that Slater is built on, and navigating the way that shame distorts one’s sense of self. Isa is Chinese American; supporting characters are racially diverse. Ages 14–up. Agent: Isabel Kaufman, Fox Literary. (Aug.)