Out of the Ashes: A Novel

by Kara Thomas

A woman’s investigation into her family’s murders uncovers lies, secrets, and dangerous truths in a heart-wrenching novel of suspense.

When she was thirteen years old, Samantha Newsom’s family was murdered and their Catskills farmhouse set ablaze in an unsolved crime that left nothing behind but ashes.

Twenty-two years later, Sam is pulled back to her hometown of Carney, New York, under the shadows of the grim tragedy she’s never forgotten or forgiven. Authorities mishandled the evidence, false rumors were seeded about her family, suspects yielded nothing, and the case went cold. Not anymore. Investigator Travis Meacham has been assigned to the case, and he has news for Sam: a prison inmate has come forward with a shocking admission. Sam’s baby sister, presumed dead in the fire, made it out of the house that night.

It’s not the only reveal that upends everything Sam thinks she knows about the crime and her family. But Carney protects its secrets. And this time, Sam might not be able to escape the town alive.

• ISBN10: 1662509537
• ISBN13: 9781662509537
• Publish Date: 1 May 2023
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thomas & Mercer
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kim Deister]

If there’s one thing Kara Thomas excels at, it is creating an atmosphere. Having grown up in a small town myself, there was so much about the setting of this book that felt familiar. There was an “underbelly” feel to the town, the side that visitors rarely see. It was gritty and seedy, rife with small-town claustrophobia. The writing truly made it come to life, creating a sense of uncomfortability and bleakness that just added to the feel of the story.

The author is so good at creating complex, deep characters that are both imperfect and sympathetic. The web of dark family secrets, soliving the mystery of their deaths, made for an engrossing story. It was dark, very dark, but in a way that felt very authentic.

A side note… this title felt so appropo. The character of Sam truly felt like a phoenix, rising out of the ashes. Well played!