Sister to Honor

Brooke O’Connor—elegant, self-possessed, and kind—has a happy marriage and a deeply loved young daughter. So her adamant refusal to have a second child confounds her husband, Sean. When Brooke’s high school boyfriend Alex—now divorced and mourning the death of his young son—unexpectedly resurfaces, Sean begins to suspect an affair.

For fifteen years Brooke has kept a shameful secret from everyone she loves. Only Alex knows the truth that drove them apart. His reappearance now threatens the life she has so carefully constructed and fortified by denial. With her marriage—and her emotional equilibrium—at stake, Brooke must confront what she has been unwilling to face for so long.

But the truth is not what Brooke believes it to be.

Lucy Ferriss’s haunting novel reveals the profound ways in which remorse over the past can not only derail lives but also—sometimes—redeem them.

"Vivid, compelling...Afia and her brother Shahid live between two worldsand#8212;their traditional family in rural Pakistan, and New England's liberal college culture...Lucy Ferris's nuanced insight enables us to see this story from all sidesand#8212;a rare achievement."and#8212;Claire Messud, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman Upstairs and The Emperor's Children

and#8220;A collision of cultures between star-crossed lovers redefines the meaning of honor in this modern-day literary thriller.and#160; Once again, Lucy Ferriss has delivered a bold and engaging novel, one youand#185;ll find impossible to put down.and#8221;and#8212;A. Manette Ansay, author of Vinegar Hill and Good Things I Wish You

and#8220;A wrenching story of Pakistani siblings struggling to adapt their expectations of love and trust to an entirely different American context where a Facebook post can lead to betrayal and the destruction of an entire family a world away. The story is told with compassion and insight into the traditions of both societies. I couldn't put it down.and#8221;and#8212;Jenny White, author of The Sultanand#8217;s Sealand#160;

and#8220;A Sister to Honor is a powerful exploration of faith, family, and the deep cultural divides that threaten to destroy these in our modern world. Ferriss has written a remarkable novel that strikes the perfect balance between the global and the personal.and#8221;and#8212;Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street

and#8220;The swift-moving narrative traverses very different worlds, creating an exquisite tension that lasts well after the novel is over. Recommended for fans of Claire Messud, Jenny White, and readers who like a political slant to their fiction.and#8221; and#8212;Library Journal

and#8220;Breathtakingly pertinentand#8230; A heartbreaking situation, illuminating the cultural gap between the modern and traditional world.and#8221; and#8212;RT Book Reviews

and#8220;Ferriss fills one familyand#8217;s story with the elements of a political thriller. The well-drawn characters and believable settings lead readers to some understanding of how these young people are torn between tradition and modern life, but there are no easy answers.and#8221; and#8212;Booklist

Praise for Lucy Ferriss

and#8220;One of the best writers around.and#8221;and#8212;Oscar Hijuelos

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and#8220;A courageous andand#160;thought-provoking writer.and#8221;and#8212;New York Times bestselling author Tom Perrotta

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and#8220;A masterful storyteller.and#8221;and#8212;#1 New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb

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and#8220;Ferriss precisely traces the evolution of feeling.and#8221;and#8212;The New York Times Book Review

“From its harrowing prologue to its final sentences, I was emotionally engaged.”

"One of the best writers around."

“A complex, engaging novel about guilt, secrecy, and the mysteries of family…a courageous and thought-provoking writer.”

"A tension-filled, beautifully written story."

"A moving tale of sin and redeptmion, motherhood and second chances."

New from the author of The Lost Daughter

Afia Satar is studious, modest, and devout. The daughter of a landholding family in northern Pakistan, Afia has enrolled in an American college with the dream of returning to her country as a doctor. But when a photo surfaces online of Afia holding hands with an American boy, she is suddenly no longer safeand#151;even from the family that cherishes her.

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Rising sports star Shahid Satar has been entrusted by his family to watch over Afia in this strange New England landscape. He has sworn to protect his beloved sister from the dangerous customs of America, from its loose morals and easy virtue. Shahid was the one who convinced their parents to allow her to come to the United States. He never imagined heand#8217;d be ordered to cleanse the stain of her shame...

READERS GUIDE INCLUDED

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Lucy Ferriss has been writing fiction, poetry, and literary criticism for many years. In addition to six previous novelsand#151;including The Lost Daughterand#151;and a collection of short fiction, she has also published a work of literary criticism and dozens of short stories, poems, articles, essays, and book reviews.and#160;She currently teaches at Trinity College and lives in Connecticut and the Massachusetts Berkshires.and#160;