Description:

There is a fire and they are in There. They are in there . . . Black smoke stains a summer blue sky. A school is on fire. And one mother, Grace, sees the smoke and runs. She knows her teenage daughter Jenny is inside. She runs into the burning building to rescue her. Afterwards, Grace must find the identity of the arsonist and protect her family from the person who's still intent on destroying them. Afterwards, she must fight the limits of her physical strength and discover the limitlessness of love. ### Amazon.com Review **Amazon Best Books of the Month, April 2012**: After Grace drags her teenage daughter, Jenny, from the inferno that engulfs her school, they awake in the hospital and find themselves outside of their damaged bodies. Only they can see or hear each other, a state that becomes more agonizing once Graze realizes that the police are calling the case closed, while whoever set the blaze still wants Jenny dead. Fiercely determined to protect her daughter, aching to bring comfort to her husband and son, Grace races to find the perpetrator and make them known. Like Lupton’s celebrated debut, *Sister*--an Amazon editors’ pick for a Best Books of 2011--this twisty, inventive thriller delivers a powerful portrayal of a woman’s love for family transcending all boundaries. –*Mari Malcolm* ### Review “A bold, impossible-to-categorize, and riveting blend of psychological suspense, literary thriller and the paranormal…*Afterwards* proves that Lupton isn't just good — she's wickedly good." —*Seattle Times *“A gripping novel.”* —New York Times Book Review * “Lupton’s finely wrought portrait of motherly love is genuinely moving.” —*Boston Globe * “Readers...will be equally smitten with *Afterwards*, as much an homage to the mother-daughter relationship as it is a crime novel...There are so many twists, turns and heartbreaks in this tragic, tense novel.” —*USA Today* “With its hint of a Jodi Picoult family saga blended with an eerie Ruth Rendell mystery, *Afterwards* should appeal to readers of both genres.” —*BookPage* “Lupton takes her readers on a totally harrowing ride as she melds a suspenseful procedure with an emotionally fraught drama. Within a taut and sinuous narrative, heartbreak over a broken family vies with fear that the arsonist will return…Masterful pacing and a highly charged atmosphere combine to make this an exceptionally gripping read.”  —*Booklist*, starred review “Lupton's dexterity at handling the subplots and possible suspects is dazzling. … Lupton creates such lovely, believable feelings in all of her characters…that what's ostensibly a supernatural story feels very, very human.” —Oprah.com “Excellent and full of plot twists.” —*The Daily American* "Lupton’s superb follow-up to *Sister*…The uncommon but convincing narrative technique, adroit twists, and memorable characters combine to provide a wise and poignant portrait of a family confronted with malice and heartbreaking decisions.” —*Publishers Weekly,* starred review “A wonderful mix of smart thriller with tear-provoking literature; a fine blend of Jodi Picoult and P.D. James…Lupton has written a riveting story that will resonate with readers long after they have turned the last page.” —*Library Journal*, starred review “A full-throttle psychological thriller, ring-fenced by a mother’s love…With each turn of the page, Lupton seems to add another element and motive to the mix…This compulsive read confirms Lupton’s instinctive commercial flair.” —*Kirkus *"The author of the outstanding *Sister *has done it again - in fact she's outdone herself. It's hard to come up with enough superlatives to do justice to *Afterwards*, a brilliant mystery where the two key investigators are both in a coma....Rush out to get a copy - and add *Sister* too if you haven't discovered it yet. They are both brilliant reads.” —Bookloons.com “Rosamund Lupton (*Sister*) offers up an intricately plotted combination of thriller, speculative fiction and mother-daughter celebration in *Afterwards*…Lupton delivers a top-notch mystery with red herrings galore; even the most seasoned mystery reader will do a double-take at the arsonist's identity. However, the rich emotional topography is the most spellbinding feature in *Afterwards*. At its heart, Lupton's story deals with parents and children, the bonds that allow family members to share their joy and their pain and the struggle parents face between wanting their offspring to stay children forever and needing to let go…Readers are encouraged to grab a box of Kleenex, put Mom on speed dial and discover what comes afterwards.” —*Shelf Awareness* *“Afterwards* is an exceptional literary thriller that resonates with depth and despair. It’s got it all: a gripping plot with twists and turns, a horrific crime, and a beautiful love story layered into the fine fabric of a family, who are torn apart by a devastating betrayal.” —Chevy Stevens, *New York Times* bestselling author of *Still Missing* and *Never Knowing* “In *Afterwards*, we see a master's touch on every page. Uncompromising emotional impact, a poet’s sonorous style and a gripping story all come together to make this a transcendent literary experience. I guarantee this novel will touch everyone.” —Jeffery Deaver, *New York Times* bestselling author of *Carte Blanche *and *Edge* “Brilliantly conceived and executed, *Afterwards* asks a mother's most terrifying question: what if your children were in mortal danger and you were unable to do a thing to save them? It's a heartbreaking and fearless journey that proves once again: Rosamund Lupton is truly a force to be reckoned with.” –Carla Buckley, author of *The Things That Keep Us Here*