Shaw Connolly Lives To Tell

This adult debut by YA author French (Sugaring Off) is a fast-paced and witty story about a cold case and how residual grief and loss affect a family. Shaw Connolly, a rough-around-the-edges crime scene investigator, is navigating a crime that happened in her own life—the disappearance of her little sister, Thea, 16 years ago. She balances parenting teen boys, caring for her father, supporting her youngest sister, and performing well at work, but it all starts to unravel when a man named Anders starts calling Shaw again. Are his hints about her missing sister legit, or another scam? Will the Connollys ever be able to put their open-ended grief to rest? French has a true talent for writing third-person point of view in a way that still sheds light on the characters’ thoughts. What sets this book apart is its ability to include humor alongside the heaviness that accompanies grief, crimes, and loss in a way that still feels authentic.