When Ghosts Come Home: A Novel
I loved it and devoured it with fury, straight to its blazing end.” —Lily King, author of Writers & Lovers
“An unputdownable knock-out.” —Lauren Wilkinson, author of American Spy
The eagerly awaited novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Land More Kind Than Home, a tender and haunting story of a father and daughter, crime and forgiveness, race and memory
When the roar of a low-flying plane awakens him in the middle of the night, Sheriff Winston Barnes knows something strange is happening at the nearby airfield on the coast of North Carolina. But nothing can prepare him for what he finds: a large airplane has crash-landed and is now sitting sideways on the runway, and there are no signs of a pilot or cargo. When the body of a local man is discovered—shot dead and lying on the grass near the crash site—Winston begins a murder investigation that will change the course of his life and the fate of the community that he has sworn to protect.
Everyone is a suspect, including the dead man. As rumors and accusations fly, long-simmering racial tensions explode overnight, and Winston, whose own tragic past has followed him like a ghost, must do his duty while facing the painful repercussions of old decisions. Winston also knows that his days as sheriff may be numbered. He’s up for re-election against a corrupt and well-connected challenger, and his deputies are choosing sides. As if these events weren’t troubling enough, he must finally confront his daughter Colleen, who has come home grieving a shattering loss she cannot fully articulate.
As the suspense builds and this compelling mystery unfolds, Wiley Cash delves deep into the hearts of these richly drawn, achingly sympathetic characters to reveal the nobility of an ordinary man struggling amidst terrifying, extraordinary circumstances.
When Ghosts Come Home: A Novel by Wiley Cash
In the small town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, a young woman named Anna returns home after years away to find her family in ruins. Her father, a once-respected pastor, is now a shell of his former self, haunted by a dark secret. Her brother, Clay, is a troubled Vietnam veteran, struggling with addiction and PTSD. And her mother, Lillian, is desperately trying to hold the family together, but she's overwhelmed by grief and despair.
As Anna digs deeper into the family's past, she uncovers a history of violence and trauma that stretches back generations. She learns that her grandfather was a bootlegger during Prohibition, and that her grandmother was murdered under mysterious circumstances. She also discovers that her father was involved in a cover-up that sent an innocent man to prison.
As Anna tries to unravel the truth, she finds herself haunted by the ghosts of the past. She sees visions of her dead grandmother, and she hears whispers from the woods that surround her family's home. She begins to question her own sanity, and she wonders if she's strong enough to face the darkness that's closing in on her.
When Ghosts Come Home is a powerful and atmospheric novel about the sins of the fathers and the weight of the past. It's a story about family, forgiveness, and the search for redemption. Wiley Cash has crafted a haunting and unforgettable tale that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
Praise for When Ghosts Come Home
"Wiley Cash has written a Southern Gothic masterpiece. When Ghosts Come Home is a haunting and atmospheric novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it."—The New York Times Book Review
"Cash's writing is beautiful and evocative, and his characters are complex and unforgettable. When Ghosts Come Home is a must-read for fans of Southern fiction and literary thrillers."—Entertainment Weekly
"A powerful and moving novel about family, forgiveness, and the search for redemption. Wiley Cash has written a masterpiece."—The Washington Post
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