The Lace Reader: A Novel

Brunonia Barry

Oct 2009 · Harper Collins

About this eBook

A New York Times bestseller—“A great-aunt’s disappearance forces a troubled woman to confront her painful past. . . . Tense, enchanting and beautiful” (Kirkus).

Every gift has a price . . . every piece of lace has a secret.

Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.

Praise for The Lace Reader

“A gorgeously written literary novel that’s a doozy of a thriller.” —Chicago Tribune

“Gripping.” —USA Today

“Evocative, layered, smart, and astonishing.” —Joshilyn Jackson

“A suspenseful, fast-paced story.” —Boston Globe

“Casts an enthralling spell.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Compulsively readable.” —Denver Post

Ratings and reviews

Wow. Talk about a mind f***. Just when you think you've figured it out, you actually haven't. The twists and turns are difficult to transition into because you have about 5 different views point throughout. The flow is continually disrupted. I liked it well enough but whoa.

Haunting story that sucks you in then leaves you totally surprised by the ending! Very unpredictable! Fast read.

I enjoyed the book. Twists and turns and in retrospect truly encompasses the way someone with different mental processes may see things.

About the author

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Brunonia Barry lives in Salem with her husband and their beloved golden retriever, Byzantium.