The Daylight Marriage
The Daylight Marriage by Heidi Pitlor, published by Algonquin Books on May 5, 2015, is a 256-page exploration of the complexities within a marriage. The narrative follows Hannah, a spirited young woman, and her husband Lovell, an introverted climate scientist. As their life in the suburbs unfolds, their conversations become fraught with unexpressed emotions and resentments, leading to Hannah’s sudden disappearance after a heated argument. This event forces Lovell to reflect on their shared past and the dynamics of their relationship.
Readers will find a poignant examination of family life and psychological intricacies as Lovell grapples with the mystery of Hannah’s absence and the emotional landscape of their marriage. The story delves into themes of love, loss, and the often unspoken desires that can fracture relationships. With a blend of wit and heartbreak, Pitlor presents a narrative that invites contemplation on the delicate nature of human connections.
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“A page-turning exploration of unexpressed love and unnecessary loss. Riveting and heartbreaking.” —GERALDINE BROOKS, author of Caleb’s Crossing
She still had time before work. She could go food shopping. She could fold the kids’ laundry and get the car washed and return some library books. Or Hannah could do something else. She could do something that she had never done–drive to a part of town where she had never been, pretend to be someone that she was not.
Hannah was tall and graceful, naturally pretty, spirited and impulsive, the upper-class young woman who picked, of all men, Lovell–the introverted climate scientist who thought he could change the world if he could just get everyone to listen to reason. After a magical honeymoon, they settled in the suburbs to raise their two children.
But over the years, Lovell and Hannah’s conversations have become charged with resentments and unspoken desires. She has become withdrawn. His work affords him a convenient distraction. And then, after one explosive argument, Hannah vanishes.
For the first time, Lovell is forced to examine the trajectory of his marriage through the lens of memory. As he tries to piece together what happened to his wife–and to their life together–readers follow Hannah on that single day when a hasty decision proves irrevocable.
With haunting intensity, a seamless balance of wit and heartbreak, and the emotional acuity that author Heidi Pitlor brings to every page, The Daylight Marriage mines the dark and delicate nature of a marriage.
“In The Daylight Marriage, there are two mysteries–the whereabouts of a missing woman and the vagaries of the human heart. Heidi Pitlor explores both of these enigmas with equal mastery, merging a shocking crime story with an incisive portrait of a failed marriage. The result is a novel that is fast-moving, emotionally complex, and ultimately heartbreaking.” —Tom Perrotta, author of Nine Inches
“Pitlor brings forth the emotions that surge beneath the surface with the precision and power of a conductor . . . This powerful analysis of how dreams become nightmares will make readers want to hold their loved ones close.” —Booklist, starred review
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