PhD candidate Phoebe Walsh is spending the summer in Florida to finish her dissertation on the true crime genre while cleaning out her late father’s cluttered house. Her obsession with grisly podcasts and serial killer statistics has left her hyper-vigilant and deeply cynical about human nature. When her new neighbor, Sam Dennings, acts with straightforward kindness, Phoebe immediately suspects he is a sociopath concealing a dark secret. She tracks his movements and scrutinizes his behavior, only to find her defensive walls crumbling as she realizes her academic focus functions as a shield against the grief of her father’s death and her fear of emotional intimacy.
This book is for readers who enjoy romantic comedies that balance humor with heavy psychological elements like bereavement and family estrangement. It appeals to true crime enthusiasts who recognize how consuming dark media shapes their perception of safety. Readers walk away with an understanding of how intellectualizing trauma can hinder personal connection and why vulnerability is necessary for building a life outside of one's own suspicions and fears.
- Published
- 2022
- Language
- EN
