My definition of a beach read is the thing that your brain eats up when there aren’t any other tasks or pressures demanding your attention. So, let me make the case for a thriller for those of you, like me, that like to keep their reading dark and cerebral (even in the heat of summer).
I jumped on the Luckiest Girl Alive train right when Jessica Knoll’s debut novel came out. I read Knoll’s interview in The Cut in 2019 and I loved her unapologetic confidence: “When Gillian Flynn’s second book, Dark Places, came across my desk, and then hit the best sellers list, I paid attention,” she said. “I felt I could write something like that.”
Having never written a book before, Knoll felt she had what it took, not only to write a damn good book, but to make it a bestseller (and she did!). Besides Knoll’s chutzpah, I fell in love with her narrator Ani FaNelli, a tough-as-nails feminist in sheep’s clothing performing peak womanhood with the best of them. She’s a writer for a successful magazine in NYC and engaged to a rich guy. But when she agrees to take part in a documentary, her past threatens to topple her new life.
I put Luckiest Girl Alive in the same category as Gone Girl or The Girl On The Train, two other dark AF thrillers I adored that also used the form of a novel to write about serious social ills (whether to believe women, the marginalization of women without children….). This book deals with rape, but does so with a mix of depth and levity that is pure magic.
So, pack your bag and your sunglasses (these are my dream pair!) and roll up with what’s sure to be your new favorite beach read.
One of the most common laments I hear is “but I don’t remember exactly what happened.” Join my two-hour class But I Don’t Remember on Monday, July 1st from 3-5pm ET for a discussion and generative writing exercises focused on building a story around what you don’t remember by using speculation and imagination to flesh out your narrative. Even if you can’t join the class, all registrants will receive a recording so you can watch it later.
Apply for my 6-Month Book Incubator kicking off September 25th! More details here. Application here.
Are you looking for a writing retreat in upstate New York this summer with childcare? I'll be teaching a one week workshop during Omega's Family Week to help you unlock your story while your kid is in camp during the day. Join us July 21-26! MORE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION HERE.