A mysterious outsider torments two Haitian American sisters, forcing them to confront dark secrets from their family’s past in this powerful psychological suspense novel from the acclaimed author of Jackal.
What would you sacrifice to become American?
Everything about the Beauclaire family seems normal—almost perfect, even. They immigrated to New York City from Haiti years ago, looking for their own piece of America’s promised riches. They go to church; they're good neighbors; and their two daughters, Judith and Beatrice, have typical sibling rivalries that keep things interesting. But beneath this polished exterior, something is just slightly off. There’s malice waiting . . . wanting to reveal itself.
When their mother unexpectedly dies, Judith and Bea are overwhelmed by a mob of relatives, friends, and church ladies. Amidst taking care of the funeral, they meet Libète, who claims to be a close friend of their mother’s. Bea welcomes her, but Judith is immediately suspicious—their mother never mentioned Libète, and yet she seems to know everything about them.
After a series of unsettling events—a disfigured doll appearing in their attic, childhood photos of Bea vanishing, and a mysterious illness suddenly afflicting their father—Judith and Bea are forced to dive into a hidden world of mythos and question Libète’s role in it all. What they learn could threaten the bedrock of the entire Beauclaire family . . . and reveal a rot that goes deeper than the roots they first made in this place.