The Beautiful Burn
By: Ken Jaworowski
ISBN: 9780802168849
Publisher: Grove Atlantic / Atlantic Crime
Publication Date: 03/09/2027
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: Currently Reading (ARC)
“If you haven't read Jaworowski yet, you should start right now.”—Lisa Scottoline
Edgar Award nominee Ken Jaworowski delivers a gripping thriller set in a forgotten Rust Belt town about three ordinary people who must each face the past they fled—or risk watching their dreams burn
Locksburg, PA—a small town left behind by the world, filled with people just trying to survive.
Jamie fled home when he was a teenager after a crime born of good intentions went horribly wrong. When his brother winds up in danger, Jamie finds himself driving back to a place he swore he’d never see again, even though returning might end with a bullet to the chest or a long sentence in a cell.
Sandra’s an eighty-four-year-old resident at Hillview Living Center, and she’s never felt more stuck. But when an old flame checks in, the two of them can’t help but reminisce about the mischief of days gone by. All too aware of her ticking clock, Sandra plans their escape.
Father Marc is the newest priest assigned to the Locksburg church, where he oversees a parish of people slowly losing faith. Which makes sense to him, since he doesn’t believe in God. When a young girl gives a troubling confession, Marc must weigh his vow of silence against speaking up to save the child’s life.
As the three strangers’ lives begin to collide, they are forced to make a choice: confront the fears they’ve spent years burying or let the life they want go up in flames. With razor-sharp twists and heartfelt moments, The Beautiful Burn builds to a finale that lingers long after the final page.
About the Author
Ken Jaworowski is an editor at The New York Times and the author of What About the Bodies and Small Town Sins, which received an Edgar Award nomination for Best Debut Novel. He graduated from Shippensburg University and the University of Pennsylvania. He grew up in Philadelphia, where he was an amateur boxer, and has had plays produced in New York and Europe. He lives in New Jersey with his family.
