As Good as Dead

At the high-octane Iowa Writers' Workshop, small-town Charlotte is thrilled and confounded by her relationship with charismatic and sophisticated Esmé: One moment, Esmé is Charlotte's best friend; the next, Esmé shuns her. After a tumultuous weekend, Charlotte's insecurities and her resentment over Esmé's confusing behavior reach a fever pitch. Blindly, Charlotte betrays her friend-in the process, unleashing a cascade of calamities on her own head.

Twenty years later, Charlotte is a married novelist and professor--when Esmé returns, bringing the past that Charlotte grieved over, and believed buried, to Charlotte's doorstep. Charlotte is both mystified and elated by her friend's reappearance. Though she yearns to redeem the old friendship and her transgression, she is wary, and rightly so: Esmé makes no mention of Charlotte's old betrayal but her invitation to dinner leads to a request--one that is highly unethical and includes an unstated threat.

Charlotte is faced with a choice: comply and violate her integrity or refuse and risk the destruction of her marriage. As Good As Dead performs an exquisitely tuned psychological high-wire act as it explores the dangers that lie in wait when trust is poisoned by secrets and fears.

"Carter Clay is brave and fascinating." —Sandra Scofield, Chicago Tribune, on Carter Clay "Carter Clay is thrilling in its enormous ambition and intelligence. Elizabeth Evans is a fearless writer. After reading this novel, Im convinced that theres nothing that she cant do." —Ann Patchett on Carter Clay "The Blue Hour is about the marketing and consumption of values and is very much a Great American Novel . . . one of those rare novels one finishes with the sense of having needed to read it." —The Washington Post Book World on The Blue Hour "Elizabeth Evans's style is eloquent without posturing. Her dialogue anoints each character with striking individuality. Her scenes move crisply to revelation . . . a superb fictional debut." —Newsday on The Blue Hour

From the acclaimed author of The Blue Hour and Carter Clay comes a heart-stopping story of two women, marriage, betrayal, and friendship gone awry.

At the high-octane Iowa Writers Workshop, small-town Charlotte is thrilled and confounded by her relationship with charismatic and sophisticated Esmé: One moment, Esmé appears to be Charlottes most intimate friend; the next, her rival. After a tumultuous weekend, Charlottes insecurities and her resentment toward Esmé reach a fever pitch. Blindly, Charlotte strikes out—in an act of betrayal that ultimately unleashes a cascade of calamities on her own head.

Twenty years later, Charlotte is a successful novelist. A much-changed Esmé appears, bringing the past that Charlotte grieved over, and believed buried, to the doorstep of Charlotte and her beloved husband. Charlotte finds herself both frightened and charmed. Though she yearns to redeem the old friendship and her transgression, she is wary—and rightly so.

As Good As Dead performs an exquisitely tuned psychological high-wire act as it explores the dangers that lie in wait when trust is poisoned by secrets and fears.

Elizabeth Evanss five previous books include The Blue Hour, Suicides Girlfriend, and Carter Clay. She received the Iowa Author Award in 2010. Other awards include a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, the James Michener Fellowship, the Lila Wallace Award, and the Four Corners Award. She lives in Tucson.