A Better World

In a postapocalyptic, climate-ravaged world, Linda and Russell Farmer-Bowen are struggling. Things go from bad to worse when Russell loses his job. Then, almost miraculously, he is offered a position in the walled-off enclave of Plymouth Valley. Here at last is a place with clean air, quality neighbors, and good schools. Though the couple wonder if the place isn’t a little too perfect, Russell accepts the opportunity. The family soon discovers that fitting in isn’t easy. With a distrust of outsiders and a twisted belief system called Hollow, residents are wary of newcomers. Linda offers her services through the community’s pet charity but begins asking questions as the Valley’s winter festival approaches. The more she learns, the more unsettled she becomes. Cassandra Campbell, Sean Patrick Hopkins, and Sara Siu narrate Langan’s (Good Neighbors) taut dystopian thriller, capturing the characters’ growth from innocent and optimistic about their new home to desperately determined to ensure their family’s survival.