For fans of Laura Dave and Rebecca Makkai, a ‘gripping, engaging novel’ (Vogue) that maps the extremes to which a family will go in order to protect their own.
No one appears more surprised than Hailey Gelman when she comes under suspicion for the murder of her soon-to-be ex-husband Jonah. Hailey—nicknamed Sunshine by her mother for her bright outlook and ever-present smile—has always tried to do what is expected of her and is regarded as the family peacemaker. But is anyone, including Hailey, who she has always seemed to be?
The months leading up to Jonah’s death have been fraught, including a bitter separation and a messy custody battle over their young daughter, Maya. When Hailey files a motion to relocate to Florida so she can be near her family, Jonah retaliates and the divorce begins to spiral dangerously out of control.
Sherry, Hailey’s mother, will stop at almost nothing to keep Jonah from getting what he wants. Nate, Hailey’s impetuous and protective older brother, has tried to keep his distance, but he can’t stand to see his little sister suffer. And then there’s Solomon, the patriarch, who is keeping a secret that threatens the stability and security Sherry has worked so hard to maintain. Soon, they are forced to reckon with who they are as individuals and as a family, and just how far they will go for each other.
Inspired by a true story, We Would Never is ‘an intellectual mystery—part whodunit, part whydunit, and heavy on the complexities of family dynamics, asking: How far would you go to protect those you love?’ (The Boston Globe).
Genre: Literary Fiction
No one appears more surprised than Hailey Gelman when she comes under suspicion for the murder of her soon-to-be ex-husband Jonah. Hailey—nicknamed Sunshine by her mother for her bright outlook and ever-present smile—has always tried to do what is expected of her and is regarded as the family peacemaker. But is anyone, including Hailey, who she has always seemed to be?
The months leading up to Jonah’s death have been fraught, including a bitter separation and a messy custody battle over their young daughter, Maya. When Hailey files a motion to relocate to Florida so she can be near her family, Jonah retaliates and the divorce begins to spiral dangerously out of control.
Sherry, Hailey’s mother, will stop at almost nothing to keep Jonah from getting what he wants. Nate, Hailey’s impetuous and protective older brother, has tried to keep his distance, but he can’t stand to see his little sister suffer. And then there’s Solomon, the patriarch, who is keeping a secret that threatens the stability and security Sherry has worked so hard to maintain. Soon, they are forced to reckon with who they are as individuals and as a family, and just how far they will go for each other.
Inspired by a true story, We Would Never is ‘an intellectual mystery—part whodunit, part whydunit, and heavy on the complexities of family dynamics, asking: How far would you go to protect those you love?’ (The Boston Globe).
Genre: Literary Fiction
Praise for this book
"With its crafty engineering and large cast of shape-shifting characters, We Would Never not only keeps you guessing until its very last pages, it gets you asking yourself its intriguing central questions: how far would you go for someone you love, and could you live with yourself if you went too far? In this deeply satisfying novel, Tova Mirvis dares you never to say never." - Christopher Castellani
"A fascinating fever dream of a novel about the gifts and costs of family loyalty. Part mystery, part moral puzzle, We Would Never shines a fierce light on its characters, while never losing sight of their humanity." - Elizabeth Graver
"We Would Never is utterly spellbinding. Tova Mirvis's characters are so real you'll wish you could grab them for a heart-to-heart before it's too late...but the propulsive plot is already sweeping you right along with them toward the unthinkable. Mirvis has written a knockout exploration of the ways people shape and misshape their lives through anger, and the lines people never believe they'll cross until they do." - Rachel Kadish
"An urgent, insightful family drama about complicity and entitlement that could not be more timely. It's essential reading by a true talent." - Sarah Langan
"In We Would Never, Tova Mirvis brings a novelist's eye to a tabloid story, and the result is both gripping and illuminating. Mirvis gets deep into her characters' heads and their twisted relationships, showing us how the toxic combination of a bad divorce, a custody dispute, and family dysfunction leads apparently reasonable people to a place where the unthinkable starts to look inevitable. Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down." - Tom Perrotta
"Mirvis writes with deep psychological insight into family dynamics and the sometimes fine line between love and desperation. We Would Never is not only a gripping murder mystery, but a moving and thought-provoking exploration of morality. This is a tour de force you will devour in one sitting." - Jessica Shattuck
"A fascinating fever dream of a novel about the gifts and costs of family loyalty. Part mystery, part moral puzzle, We Would Never shines a fierce light on its characters, while never losing sight of their humanity." - Elizabeth Graver
"We Would Never is utterly spellbinding. Tova Mirvis's characters are so real you'll wish you could grab them for a heart-to-heart before it's too late...but the propulsive plot is already sweeping you right along with them toward the unthinkable. Mirvis has written a knockout exploration of the ways people shape and misshape their lives through anger, and the lines people never believe they'll cross until they do." - Rachel Kadish
"An urgent, insightful family drama about complicity and entitlement that could not be more timely. It's essential reading by a true talent." - Sarah Langan
"In We Would Never, Tova Mirvis brings a novelist's eye to a tabloid story, and the result is both gripping and illuminating. Mirvis gets deep into her characters' heads and their twisted relationships, showing us how the toxic combination of a bad divorce, a custody dispute, and family dysfunction leads apparently reasonable people to a place where the unthinkable starts to look inevitable. Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down." - Tom Perrotta
"Mirvis writes with deep psychological insight into family dynamics and the sometimes fine line between love and desperation. We Would Never is not only a gripping murder mystery, but a moving and thought-provoking exploration of morality. This is a tour de force you will devour in one sitting." - Jessica Shattuck
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