Unspeakable Things

Inspired by a true story from the author's Minnesota hometown, this suspense novel follows a small community where appearances mask darker realities. In 1980s Minnesota, Cassie McDowell lives on a farm and attends school, where she has developed a crush on a classmate. She has grown accustomed to her parents' strange parties and their unusual guests, despite finding them unsettling. When local boys begin disappearing from Lilydale, the situation escalates. Upon their return, each boy exhibits disturbing behavioral changes—becoming violent, moody, and withdrawn. Rumors spread about what happened to them, and accusations about those responsible grow increasingly wild. Dangerous secrets held by the town begin to emerge. When Cassie's own sister undergoes this dark transformation, Cassie must navigate an adult world where sins are rationalized and truth itself becomes dangerous.