The Secrets We Keep

Attentively tackling themes of self-harm, sexual violence, and suicidal ideation, Gustafson (After the Ink Dries) delivers a gut-wrenching account of high schooler Emma’s struggle to parse her own feelings after her father is accused of sexually assaulting her best friend. Having moved from San Francisco to small-town Oregon after an undisclosed scandal, previously homeschooled Emma becomes fast friends with “older, bolder, unapologetic” Hannah. But when Hannah suddenly begins avoiding her, and Emma’s father is arrested, she’s certain that the two things are somehow connected. As more information is revealed, Emma’s family grapples with the consequences of her father’s crimes. Via chapters told in alternating first- and second-person narration, Gustafson renders Emma’s present and past in striking detail, throughout featuring Emma’s journal entries—original fairy tales that offer brief glimpses into her memories and reflect her inner turmoil. The narrative’s dark climax and Gustafson’s visceral prose don’t shy away from the inherent trauma surrounding sexual assault, making for a vital, heart-wrenching account of one teen’s harrowing experience. A content warning contextualizes the topics addressed; back matter offers resources on sexual violence and suicide. Characters read as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. (Nov.)