Nora Brown is a high school English teacher. She leads a low-key life in Seattle with her husband, Paul, and six-year old daughter, Fiona. After dismissing her class for Thanksgiving weekend, Nora sees the face of a young girl. She is filled with terror and confusion—is she hallucinating or could this be related to the headaches she has been having?
The next day while on vacation, Nora sees the face again and is left shaken and disturbed. She consults with a neurologist and eventually sees a psychiatrist to work through the visions and what they mean. Through these sessions, Quinn moves the narrative. We learn that Nora is the victim of a traumatic childhood and as a result has suffered a psychological breakdown. As the plot unravels so does Nora as she begins to fear that what happened to her could happen to her daughter. The character dissension is sharp and swift and Nora's husband—who has stepped out on their marriage—is less than supportive. He has completely checked out of the relationship and has little patience for her.
As stated, this book is not for the faint of heart—there is sexual violence, child abuse, death, mental illness, and suicide.
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