An Unthinkable Thing
An Unthinkable Thing by Nicole Lundrigan, published by Penguin on January 30, 2024, is a psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of family and the shadows of dark secrets. Set in the summer of 1958, the narrative follows Tommie Ware, an eleven-year-old boy whose life is irrevocably altered after the murder of his beloved aunt. Forced to return to the home of his estranged mother, Esther, who works as a housekeeper for the affluent Henneberry family, Tommie finds himself navigating a world filled with hidden truths and unsettling dynamics.
As Tommie adjusts to his new surroundings, he becomes entangled in the lives of the Henneberry family, particularly the enigmatic matriarch Muriel and her troubled son Martin. The oppressive atmosphere of the estate, coupled with the family’s peculiar behavior, leads Tommie to question the nature of his reality. The story explores themes of psychological tension and familial relationships, culminating in a chilling revelation that challenges the very notion of innocence. This edition contains 464 pages and is presented in English, inviting readers to immerse themselves in a gripping tale of suspense and moral ambiguity.
Official synopsis Publisher
“You’ll be deeply moved by this thoughtful and atmospheric page-turner.” —Ashley Audrain, #1 national bestselling author of The Push
A tragedy brings a young boy into the home of a “perfect” family—one whose dark secrets begin closing in, until a horrifying moment changes everything.
Tommie Ware’s life is turned upside down the summer of 1958, just after his eleventh birthday. When his beloved aunt—the woman who raised him—doesn’t return after her shift as a night nurse and is later found murdered, there is only one place left for Tommie to go: “home” to the mother who handed him over the day he was born.
All is not as it seems behind the hedgerow surrounding the lavish Henneberry estate where Tommie’s mother, Esther, works as live-in housekeeper. Her employers have agreed he can stay until she “sorts things out,” but as she’s at the family’s beck and call around the clock, Tommie is mostly left on his own to navigate the grounds, the massive house, and the twisted family inside.
Soon he is enmeshed in the oppressive attentions of matriarch Muriel, who is often heavily medicated, and of fifteen-year-old Martin, who treats Tommie sometimes like a kid brother, sometimes like a pawn in a confusing game. While Dr. Henneberry mostly ignores Tommie, he also seems eager for him to be gone. Then there’s the elderly neighbour, who may know more about the family’s past than anyone else will say.
By summer’s end, the secrets and games tighten around Tommie and his mother, until a horrific crime is discovered and we are faced with an unthinkable question: could an eleven-year-old boy really have committed cold-blooded murder?
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