Synopses & Reviews
Clara Benning, a veterinary surgeon, is young and intelligent, but reclusive. Disfigured by a childhood accident, she prefers animals to people. When a man dies following a supposed snakebite, Claras expertise is needed. Shes chilled to learn that the victims postmortem shows a higher concentration of venom than could ever be found in one snake: The killer was human. Assisted by a neighbor and an eccentric reptile expert, Clara uncovers links to an ancient ritual, an abandoned house, and a fifty-year-old tragedy. But for someone the truth must remain buried in the past—even if they have to kill to keep it there.
Awakening is a disturbing tale of dark secrets that will have readers unable to stop for a breath until they reach the stunning climax of this extraordinary read from acclaimed author S. J. Bolton.
Review
Praise for Awakening
“Awakening is a delicious Gothic thriller.”
—Maureen Corrigan, NPR, on Awakening
“Page-turning suspense.”
—Booklist (A Top Ten Crime Novel of the Year)
“I was totally riveted by S. J. Boltons second thriller, Awakening. . . . Perfect reading for a long plane trip.”
—Nancy Pearl on Awakening
“The page-turner of the summer . . . Its been a long time since weve devoured a book this length at one sitting. . . . We were just grateful to find ourselves in the hands of as extraordinary a storyteller as S. J. Bolton.”
—The Denver Post on Sacrifice
About the Author
SHARON BOLTON, an International Thriller Writers and Mary Higgins Clark Award finalist, grew up in Lancashire, England, and now lives near Oxford with her family. Her novels are inspired by her fascination with British folklore. Sharon Bolton was previously published as S.J. Bolton.