Published: August 1st 2017 by Simon & Schuster

Who Are You When No One Is Watching?

When a beloved high schooler named Lucinda Hayes is found murdered, no one in her sleepy Colorado suburb is untouched—not the boy who loved her too much; not the girl who wanted her perfect life; not the officer assigned to investigate her murder. In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both.

In crystalline prose, Danya Kukafka offers a brilliant exploration of identity and of the razor-sharp line between love and obsession, between watching and seeing, between truth and memory. Compulsively readable and powerfully moving, Girl in Snow offers an unforgettable reading experience and introduces a singular new talent in Danya Kukafka.

Girl In Snow had such an intriguing premise – I finished this book in one sitting. The world Kukafka crafted is so dark and eerie. Monsters exist amongst the mundane. Perhaps that is one of the underlying messages – fear does exist, it isn’t in monsters in the closet, sometimes it’s monster within the people we love.

Chapters are relatively short and alternate perspective from the 3 main characters: Cameron, Jade and Russ. The language and writing are absolutely beautiful. So much background and description are revealed in the narration and prose. Jade tells 2 sides of every conversation — what she wishes she said (through a play she is writing) and what she actually said. The characters are well-rounded and deeply flawed. So many FANTASTIC noir tropes pepper this storyline.

The story feels authentic. Real. The different levels of relationships between the characters and their world keeps the readers interest piqued.

Fantastic read. Has a nordic noir feel to it, similar to the great Jo Nesbo and Lars Kepler.

Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada for the review copy.

The creaking of a playground carousel in the night wind is the only sound that settles in the darkness. It cradles the lifeless body of fifteen year old Lucinda Hayes. Tiny snowflakes drift and cling to the strands of her long blonde hair. Making no sound…..much like Lucinda herself.