{"product_id":"before-familiar-woods-isbn-9781643852959","title":"Before Familiar Woods","description":"\u003cb\u003eFor fans of David Joy and Christopher J. Yates, comes Ian Pisarcik's haunting debut novel exploring the fraught nature of families and the inescapable secrets that are out to cripple them.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eOn the outskirts of a town too tired for its own happenings, the boys were found dead inside a tent. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThree years later, their fathers have disappeared, too.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRuth Fenn's son was the boy they blamed. For three years, Ruth has accepted her lot as pariah, focusing on her ailing mother and the children left in her care by the struggling single parents of North Falls, Vermont. But now the additional loss of her husband is too much to bear, and she has no choice but to overcome the darkness or be consumed by it. But as she edges closer to the truth, she begins to uncover some secrets that are better left buried.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat's when she meets Milk Raymond, a war vet who comes home to find his nine-year-old son abandoned by his mother. Unable to find work, with no idea how to be a father, Milk turns to Ruth for help. But as the mystery of Ruth's missing husband deepens, the fragile stability Milk has created for Daniel is shattered by the ill-fated return of Daniel's mother, who will stop at nothing to get her boy back. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs these unsettled and interconnected lives hurtle towards a devastating conclusion, both Ruth and Milk are about to learn that their dying Vermont town has more secrets than they ever thought possible--and there are those who will do anything to protect them.\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eBefore Familiar Woods\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Poignant and searingly authentic, Pisarcik's mesmerizing, heartfelt debut pulls you in and doesn't let go—a haunting testament to survival of family and community in a poor and desperate landscape.”\u003cbr\u003e—Kim Michele Richardson, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eBefore Familiar Woods\u003c\/i\u003e, a novel dripping with heart and grit and tears, is an electrifying debut from Ian Pisarcik. Rarely are thrillers this elegantly told and seldom full of such beauty. Like all the best tales, this compelling story feels like it has been sitting in the dark for centuries waiting patiently to be told by someone with Pisarcik’s immense talent and empathy. I will be first in line for anything he writes after this.”\u003cbr\u003e—Christopher J. Yates, author of \u003ci\u003eBlack Chalk\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eGrist Mill Road\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Pisarcik wields a poet’s eye, stacking images for a novel that flips and turns like the pages of a photo album. \u003ci\u003eBefore Familiar Woods\u003c\/i\u003e is ripe with unforgettable characters. This is a debut to savor.”\u003cbr\u003e —David Joy, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Line That Held Us\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Ian Pisarcik has written the best kind of thriller: gritty, dark, and tragically human. Intriguing mysteries keep the pages turning, but it is this novel’s people—roughhewn, fractured, grasping for family—who linger long after the covers close.”\u003cbr\u003e —John Larison, author of \u003ci\u003eWhiskey When We’re Dry\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eBefore Familiar Woods\u003c\/i\u003e conveys its people and its landscape in striking ways—taking us through peaks and valleys, shadows and sunlight, beauty and brutality…A well-wrought delivery of emotion and place.” \u003cbr\u003e —Michael Farris Smith, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Fighter\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eDesperation Road \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Outstanding…Pisarcik is a writer to watch.”\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Beautifully done and will certainly strike a chord with readers who appreciate the similar styles of Daniel Woodrell and David Joy.” \u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“If you enjoy dark, gritty dramas, you will enjoy this book.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eManhattan Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eIan Pisarcik \u003c\/b\u003ewas born and raised in rural New England. His stories and poems have appeared in the \u003ci\u003eRoanoke Review\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLullwater Review\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMaine Review\u003c\/i\u003e, and the \u003ci\u003eFlyway Journal of Writing and Environment\u003c\/i\u003e. He currently lives in Washington State with his wife and Labrador retriever. \u003ci\u003eBefore Familiar Woods\u003c\/i\u003e is his first novel.","brand":"Crooked Lane Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302677172453,"sku":"NP9781643852959","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781643852959.jpg?v=1767722365","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/before-familiar-woods-isbn-9781643852959","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}