The Girl Who Stayed

Genres: General Fiction; Literary Fiction; Women's Fiction; Family Life; Southern

Synopsis

“A beautifully written, page-turning novel packed with emotion.” – #1 New York Times bestselling author Barbara Freethy

Zoe Rutherford swore she would never return to Sullivan’s Island.

The old house there is steeped in everything she tried to escape—her father’s cruelty, her mother’s silence, and the unanswered questions surrounding her sister’s disappearance. For decades, it has stood as a monument to loss.

But with her parents gone, Zoe has no choice but to go back. She tells herself it will be quick: close the house, prepare it for sale, and leave the past behind. Instead, she finds herself unraveling secrets she never imagined—and confronting the ghosts she’s carried for far too long.

As buried truths rise to the surface, Zoe must face the hardest question of all: will she finally let the past define her, or will she reclaim her life and the woman she was meant to be?

THE GIRL WHO STAYED is a spellbinding novel of family and forgiveness, loss and resilience—a haunting Southern story that lingers long after the last page.

Praise for The Girl Who Stayed

THE GIRL WHO STAYED is a remarkable exploration of the soul by a writer with a rare talent for reaching into the hearts of her characters and her readers, a novel of transformation that will leave you moved and breathless.

"THE GIRL WHO STAYED is a deeply moving story. I am fascinated by the concept and by Tanya Crosby's stunning storytelling." – Stella Cameron, New York Times bestselling author

“THE GIRL WHO STAYED defies type. Crosby’s tale is honest and sen- sitive, eerie and tragic. It’s a homecoming tale of a past ever with us and irrevocably lost forever. A haunting vision of that chasm between life and death we call ‘missing.’”
– Pamela Morsi, bestselling author of SIMPLE JESS

“An intense, mesmerizing Southern drama about a young woman who returns to her coastal home to put to rest the haunting ghost of her sister’s tragic past. Told in the rich, lyrical style of Siddons and Conroy, THE GIRL WHO STAYED is a woman’s story of discovery and acceptance, redefined by Tanya Anne Crosby’s dramatic storytelling, sharp characters, and well-defined plot. A must read for any woman who believes she can never go back home. Fabulous, rich and evocative!” – New York Times bestselling author Jill Barnett

"Crosby tugs heartstrings in a spellbinding story of a woman trying to move beyond her past." – New York Times bestselling author Susan Andersen