The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds

by Jennifer Moorman

Genres: Magical Realism; Southern; Women's Fiction

Synopsis

Can an entire life be erased by one thoughtless wish that changes a single moment?

Josephine Reynolds never imagined she'd be a widow in her midthirties. Grieving and barely able to contemplate one more night alone, she carelessly wishes she'd never been born. At the exact same moment, her inbox dings with an email: it's a link from her sister that lists local foreclosures, and, to her immense surprise, she sees her great-grandmother's house listed and immediately conspires to reclaim it.

But as Josephine restores her great-grandmother's home to its original glory, she comes to realize not everything is as it seems. Replacing the modern front door with the original hand-carved and solid wood one, she notices minuscule words carved into the edging. As she speaks the words aloud and opens the front door with its original key, Josephine finds herself transported back almost one hundred years ago to a 1920s party thrown by her great-grandmother Alma.

A shocked Josephine fears she is losing her mind. Has her grief caused her to lose touch with reality? But it quickly becomes clear that her life and future--thanks to her throwaway wish--hinge on one single moment that happened almost one hundred years ago. The two parallel timelines start blending together, and Josephine witnesses her present life disappearing right before her eyes.

She can only hope it's not too late to save her own future.

Release date: January 14, 2025

Publisher: Harper Muse

Print pages: 336