A Likely Story

Isabelle has spent her life in the shadow of her father, the iconic author Ward Manning. While Ward was content to bask in the spotlight, Isabelle’s mother, Claire, was her source of support and affection. When Claire dies from a sudden illness, she bequeaths Isabelle a secret that will change everything she believes about her father’s success and her own failed artistic attempts. Forced to reexamine her family, her friendships, and the fame she has always aspired to, Isabelle faces a choice that will either make her dreams come true or cost her everything. Abramson’s thought-provoking debut is reflective relationship fiction about craving acceptance, coping with death, and coming into one’s own. Narrators Mia Barron, Cynthia Farrell, James Fouhey, Adam Grupper, and Devon Sorvari are a compelling quintet, representing the four lead characters and an engaging, enigmatic novel within a novel. Their distinct voices make the multiple timelines and perspectives manageable and magnetic.