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*“If I’d blinked, I would have missed it. But I didn’t, and I saw something fall from the rear deck of the opposite ferry: a small, wide-eyed human face, in one tiny frozen moment, as it plummeted toward the water.”* When she sees what looks like a child tumbling from a ferry into frigid Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. When she gets the child to shore she discovers that his name is Paul, he speaks only French—and no one seems to be looking for him.     Her determination to protect Paul pulls Troy from her quiet life in a small Adirondack town into an unfamiliar world of wealth and privilege in Canada and then in Vermont. Her attachment to him—and the danger she faces when she tries to unravel the mystery of his abandonment—force her to evaluate everything she thought true about herself.     Sara J. Henry's riveting, award-winning debut will keep readers engrossed right up to its shattering conclusion. *From the Hardcover edition.* ### From Booklist When Troy Chance spots what she thinks is a small boy being tossed off the back of a passing ferry, she instinctively jumps into the icy waters of Lake Champlain. She rescues the youngster and discovers that his arms were bound with an adult sweatshirt. He’s incredibly frightened, speaks only French, and won’t tell her what happened. Troy determines that she will keep him safe rather than turn him over to the police. When he finally begins to confide in her, he tells a bizarre tale of being kidnapped, hearing his mother murdered by gunshot, and then being held for months. As Troy tracks down the boy’s father, she begins to question whether she will be able to let him go, since he has unleashed within her a maternal instinct she had no idea she possessed. In her debut, the first in a projected series, Henry proves herself to be a smooth and compelling storyteller. And her lead is highly appealing: an athletic, fiercely independent young woman who, like crime-fiction author Gillian Flynn’s feisty females, is capable of making delightfully acerbic observations. --Joanne Wilkinson ### Review "*Learning to Swim* is the perfect romantic suspense mystery for people who won't admit they read romantic suspense mysteries." -*The New York Times Book Review * "From the grabber beginning to the heartfelt conclusion, Sara J. Henry's *Learning to Swim* is an auspicious debut ... Fresh setting, well-realized characters, cleanly written, with a mysterious and suspenseful story - just what I was looking for."--Daniel Woodrell, award-winning author of *The Death of Sweet Mister* and *Winter's Bone* "Emotional, intense, and engrossing, LEARNING TO SWIM is a terrific debut. The talented Sara J. Henry introduces a thoroughly modern heroine with an independent spirit and a tender heart. Readers will be cheering for Troy Chance as she deftly navigates the treacherous waters of betrayal and loss, and they'll be looking forward to seeing her again when the book is closed."-Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of *Fragile* “*Learning to Swim* is a gut-wrenching, heart-thumping twist of the knife. A compelling tale of mystery’s holy trinity: love, loss, and betrayal. Take the plunge.”*—*Reed Farrel Coleman, three-time Shamus Award-winning author of *Innocent Monster* and co-author of *Tower* “From the opening page, *Learning to Swim* is a terrific debut. This moving and insightful psychological thriller features the inspiring Troy Chance *—* an everywoman hero who women will admire and men will want to meet. I can’t wait for her next adventure.”*—*Michael Robotham, bestselling author of *Shatter* and *Bleed for Me*  “From its shocking opening to its stunning conclusion, *Learning to Swim* is a frightening ride. Sara J. Henry will quite literally take your breath away.”*—*J.T. Ellison, author of *The Immortals* and *The... * * *