Things Don't Break on Their Own: A Novel - Softcover

Easter Collins, Sarah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 059379835X ISBN 13: 9780593798355

Publisher: Crown, 2025

Synopsis

“So, so, so good. An elegant, twisting story of loss and longing, of the ache of the unknown and the drowning weight of past trauma.”—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark

EDGAR AWARD FINALIST • A BOOKPAGE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • A WASHINGTON POST AND BLOOMBERG BEST BOOK OF THE SEASON

A heart-wrenching mystery about sisters, lovers, and a dinner party gone wrong.

Twenty-five years ago, a young girl left home to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed. But one of them arrived, and one of them didn’t.

Her sister’s disappearance has defined Willa’s life. Everyone thinks her sister is dead, but Willa knows she isn’t. Because there are some things that only sisters know about each other—and some bonds only sisters can break.

Willa sees fragments of her sister everywhere—the way that woman on the train turns her head, the gait of that woman in Paris. If there’s the slightest resemblance, Willa drops everything, and everyone, and tries to see if it is her.

When Willa is invited to a dinner party thrown by her first love, she has no reason to expect it will be anything other than an ordinary evening. Both of them have moved on, ancient history. But nothing about Willa’s life has been ordinary since the day her sister disappeared, and that’s not about to change tonight.

Sarah Easter Collins has written an extraordinary novel about memory, lost love, and long-buried secrets that sometimes see the light of day.

About this title

About the Author

Sarah Easter Collins is a writer and artist. A mother to a wonderful son, she has worked extensively in the field of education, teaching art in the UK, Botswana, Thailand, and Malawi. Sarah now lives on Exmoor with her husband and dogs, where she loves running and wild swimming. She is a graduate of the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

1

Supper with Friends

ROBYN

The match flares in the half-dark of our kitchen. As I lean toward the candles, light slips along the silver lines of the bowl that forms the centerpiece of the table. I stand back, making one final check of the linen, the glasses, the place settings, the eight mismatched chairs. Cat walks in.

“Okay,” she says, “the twins are asleep. Sophie’s in bed and reading. I’ve told her it’s fine to come down so long as she takes herself back up. What’s still to do?”

“We’re pretty much there. Make yourself a drink.”

“I’m saving myself for when Jamie gets here.”

“Don’t.”

“Last time he delivered us forty-five minutes on the engineering works between here and the coast. Remember? Forty-five sodding minutes. If he does that again, I’m feigning death.” My wife rummages in a drawer and pulls out a bottle opener. “I honestly don’t know what Willa sees in him.”

“He wants kids.”

“She’s well aware there’re other ways. Anyway, she’s got to want more than that—”

“It’s all she wants.”

“Basic compatibility for a start. I mean, why Jamie?”

“She’s thirty-eight. You know it’s a tricky subject.”

“Everything’s tricky—”

“Cat—”

“This was meant to be a family get-together. Sibs. It’s almost impossible to get Michael and Nate in London at the exact same time.”

“Willa’s practically family.”

“Uh-huh.”

“She’s been through so much.”

“Sure.” Cat gives me daggers, then just as quickly lets it go. “I know.”

I look at the table, running a hand through my hair. “D’you reckon everyone will get on?”

Cat pulls me to her. “Course they will. It’s nearly Christmas, plus we’ve been cooking all afternoon. They’re duty-bound. By the way,” she says, turning me so my silver top glitters in the candlelight, “you look truly lovely.”

“Thought I might dress up a little.”

“You always dress up for Willa,” she says, narrowing her eyes, “your first love.”

“I should never have told you that.”

“Doorbell,” she says. “I’ll go.”

I hear voices in the hallway: Cat first, then Jamie’s deep-toned reply. I lean against the table, face turned toward the kitchen door.

And then there she is, Willa.

Edition details

• Publisher: Crown
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 059379835X
• ISBN 13: 9780593798355
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272