The Fairest
Published on 16. September 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
365 pages
978-1-6625-1844-7 (ISBN)
Description
When a young girl seeks out sanctuary with a total stranger, a nightmare follows in this riveting novel of suspense by Jenny Milchman, the USA Today bestselling author of The Usual Silence.
Author Kara Parsons is at a book signing in the town where she was raised. Before it's over, a young girl approaches with a copy of Kara's book containing a handwritten inscription: I am a missing child.
Most people would alert the police, but Kara knows what happens to the young and vulnerable when the system fails them. She turns to her former therapist, Arles Shepherd, who's recovering from injuries and staying off the grid. But even Arles, who's seen everything, finds something off about this girl who refuses to reveal her own name. What is she running from? And how much of what she says can be believed?
When a man with a gun manages to locate Arles's remote wilderness home, the true threat is revealed, and Arles and Kara go on the run. But fleeing only gets them so far. To save this child, Arles must allow her to be found. And that's when the real danger begins.
Author Kara Parsons is at a book signing in the town where she was raised. Before it's over, a young girl approaches with a copy of Kara's book containing a handwritten inscription: I am a missing child.
Most people would alert the police, but Kara knows what happens to the young and vulnerable when the system fails them. She turns to her former therapist, Arles Shepherd, who's recovering from injuries and staying off the grid. But even Arles, who's seen everything, finds something off about this girl who refuses to reveal her own name. What is she running from? And how much of what she says can be believed?
When a man with a gun manages to locate Arles's remote wilderness home, the true threat is revealed, and Arles and Kara go on the run. But fleeing only gets them so far. To save this child, Arles must allow her to be found. And that's when the real danger begins.
Reviews / Votes
Praise for The Usual Silence"The Usual Silence introduces a dynamic heroine. Arles Shepherd epitomizes the notion of the 'complex character,' complete with a mysterious past and self-sabotaging tendencies." -CrimeReads
"The Usual Silence will frighten, shock, and uplift anyone who reads it, and shows Milchman at the top of her game." -Bookreporter
"There's nothing usual about The Usual Silence. It's a psychological thriller extraordinaire, perfectly conceived and beautifully realized. Milchman's latest fashion[s] a brilliant puzzle we get to watch being assembled." -BookTrib
"Reigning woman of mystery Milchman crafts edge-of-your-seat suspense laced with bold compassion." -Chronogram
"An emotionally compelling and impressively crafted psychological suspense thriller of a read from start to finish." -Midwest Book Review
"Milchman deftly weaves multiple events, characters, and timelines together. Some novels are an escape . . . Other[s] are complex explorations of the human experience. When you're looking for the latter, The Usual Silence should be first on your TBR list." -The Mystery of Writing
"The various threads of the story come together in very unexpected ways. This is a psychological thriller in every sense of the word." -Aunt Agatha's
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Seattle
United States
Publishing group
Amazon Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 214 mm
Width: 141 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
388 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6625-1844-7 (9781662518447)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jenny Milchman is the Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of the psychological thrillers Cover of Snow, Ruin Falls, As Night Falls, Wicked River, and The Second Mother, and now the Arles Shepherd series, starting with The Usual Silence. Jenny's work has received praise from The New York Times, San Francisco Journal, and many others; earned spots on Top 10 lists, including Suspense Magazine and The Strand Magazine; made Best Of lists ranging from PopSugar to PureWow; and garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness, in addition to numerous other mentions. Before turning to fiction, Jenny earned a graduate degree in clinical psychology and practiced at a rural community mental health center for more than a decade. She lives in the Catskill Mountains with her family. For more information, visit www.jennymilchman.com.