On a subway platform in Chicago, Morgan Kincaid’s life is changed forever when a stranger hands her a baby, then jumps in front of an oncoming train. Morgan can't understand why someone would give their child to a complete stranger and take their own life.
Unfortunately, Morgan's involvement runs deeper when she's considered a suspect in the death of the woman. But Morgan has never seen her before that day. With no witnesses to corroborate her version of events, things are not looking good.
To clear her name, Morgan tries to piece together Nicole Markham's final days. Nicole believed that she, and her new baby, were in danger. Or was she a new mother struggling with postpartum depression and paranoia? And what is Morgan's connection to all of this? As she gets closer to the truth, one thing become apparent, her life is also in danger.
I was hooked right from the start!
In this explosive novel, Bailey deftly alternates between Morgan's and Nicole's stories, past and present. One of the women is struggling with her grief and the desire to become a mother, the other is struggling with becoming a mother and the overwhelming desire to protect her child.
Nicole's anxiety is compounded by the guilt of a traumatic event in her past. Her angst is palpable, as are her fears of motherhood, and she becomes a shell of her former self—a far cry from the successful CEO of her own company. Morgan's life fell apart when her husband committed suicide as a result of being found guilty of embezzlement. She was left with the repercussions, including the police thinking that she was his accomplice. The two women are forever joined by tragedy, but what is their connection?
The character descension and strong pacing ratchet up the tension. Cleverly delivered in short, suspenseful chapters, readers will grapple with not only who to believe, but with also not being able to put the book down.
With the speed of a train, this incredible debut comes careening down the tracks. It is exhilarating, tense, and consuming.
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SAMANTHA M. BAILEY is a Toronto-based novelist, journalist, and freelance editor. Her work has appeared in NOW Magazine, The Village Post, and Oxford University Press, among other publications. She was a writer-in-residence for Kobo Writing Life at BookExpo America 2013. She is the co-founder of BookBuzz, a promotional and interactive author-reader event held in New York City and Toronto.
Woman on the Edge is her debut novel.
Q & A with Samantha M. Bailey*
GWR: Where did you come up with the concept for this explosive thriller?
SB: Thank you for the compliment! Six years ago, I was waiting on a Toronto subway platform when I noticed a woman holding a newborn, standing too close to the edge. She looked frazzled and exhausted, as most new mothers do. As I did, with my own two children. Like a lightning bolt, the premise for Woman on the Edge came to me. As the train roared into the station, I scribbled it down on an empty gum pack I found in my messy purse. When I got home, I immediately started writing it.
GWR: This book takes a deep dive into other issues—mental health, misplaced guilt, motherhood—why was it important to include these elements in the story?
SB: I always wanted to focus on mental health, especially postpartum. When I started writing it, there was so little fiction about postpartum depression and anxiety. I didn’t experience depression myself, but I watched so many friends struggle through it, who generously shared their stories so I could access Nicole’s thoughts and feelings. These friends felt so much shame, guilt, and loneliness and were so scared to tell anyone the extent of how they were feeling because they feared judgment. It was only after they’d gotten help that they realized how many women go through it. I did, however, absolutely have my own anxieties and worries, especially with my first baby, and knew it was a story I needed to tell. I wanted to portray how easy it is for even the strongest, most accomplished of women to suffer dramatic and drastic changes after the birth of their child. How hard it is to ask for help. And how difficult motherhood is.
GWR: The main character, Morgan Kinkaid, becomes a suspect. Tell us about your research.
SB: So many experts were willing to talk to me, and I’m grateful. I spoke with a Chicago-based homicide detective, a private investigator, and criminal defense attorney. I’m also lucky to have a friend who is a Detective-Constable with the Toronto Police, who offered to help with any questions I might have. He invited me down to the station and I spent a day as a suspect. He led me through the Sally Port to the fingerprinting and onto the evidence room. I was giddy with excitement because, of course, I wasn’t under arrest, and it all felt so intriguing. When he asked if I wanted to be locked in a holding cell to see what it’s like, I jumped at the chance. He told me to bang on the door when I’d had enough, and it clanged shut. I was alone in a tiny cell—white-washed brick walls, a stainless-steel sink and toilet, and a small bed. I’m claustrophobic and immediately panicked. It took all of thirty seconds to bang on the door and beg to be let out.
GWR: Are you a pantser or plotter?
SB: I’m a former-pantser-turned-plotter. Woman on the Edge is the fifth book I’ve written, and the first to be traditionally published. I used to write with a general outline in mind, but that’s completely changed. For this book, I needed a clear map of the beginning, middle, and end so I knew what the characters’ arcs would be, the narrative structure, placement of the clues, the goals, motivations, etc. I use three craft books to help me: On Writing by Stephen King, Story Genius by Lisa Cron, and Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. Now I write out a scene-by-scene outline before I begin drafting. For me, it’s a process that works, but every author has their own method.
GWR: How many hours a day do you write? What does your writing process look like?
SB: Right now, it looks a bit manic because I’m promoting Woman on the Edge at the same time as working on my next novel. I usually get up at 5 or 6 am, which for a former night owl, is a shocking change. But I don’t have enough time during the day to really focus on writing, and I actually love the dark silence in my house when it’s just me and my words. I write until my kids get up for school around 7:30 am, then I’m all Mom—making breakfast, packing lunches, finding homework. The minute they’re out the door, I turn to my emails, social media, and promo and back to writing until the kids come home around 4 pm. It’s hectic, and all I ever wanted.
GWR: How did you select the names for your characters?
SB: I use baby name sites and scroll through tons of names until the right one hits me. Then I might change it as the story evolves.
GWR: What was the hardest scene to write?
SB: The opening scene because I wanted it to be as powerful, raw, and visceral as possible. I must have revised it at least twenty times, so I hope I accomplished what I set out to.
GWR: If you could tell your younger self something about writing and becoming an author, what would it be?
SB: It won’t be fast, and it won’t be easy, but it will be so worth it.
GWR: What are you working on now?
SB: I’m working on another thriller that is also dark and twisty, featuring women and mothers in a very different way than in Woman on the Edge. I’ll definitely post any updates I have about the release date, etc on my website. Thank you for asking!
*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.
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