Out Now: Monica Bruno’s debut thriller, RACHEL’S FOLLY. Available in Kindle and print versions.
Family therapist Rachel Richards’ life is about to come undone.
She has it all: a successful career, a beautiful house, a loving husband, and a son she adores. To top it off, her best friend is getting married. But who is this mysterious man who calls himself Jack and, more importantly, who is Rachel when she’s with him? After a night of drinking gone awry, Rachel is forced to face a dark part of herself she didn’t know existed. She must find a way to cope—with what she’s done, with the kind of person she might be—or lose her life in the process.
Told from three unique perspectives and set against the backdrop of an Austin, Texas both strange and familiar, Rachel’s Folly is an exploration of profound loss, morality, and the lengths to which we will go to save our loved ones and ourselves . . . from ourselves.
She could hear a dog barking in the distance as she moved through her childhood home. She was a little girl again. She could see her small, bare feet beneath her as she walked over the mustard-yellow, swirl-patterned carpet. She walked towards the kitchen and stood at the butler door, where she heard voices coming from inside. She hesitated. She stared at the small dry, dust-covered paint drip on the door panel, then, gently pushed the door open. Her parents were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table. Her father sat motionless with his bloodshot eyes fixated on a sweating glass of rum and Coke in front of him. His face looked drained, like he had been crying. Her mother’s head was down, her face buried in her hands. This is when they tell me they’re getting divorced, Rachel thought. Her mother slowly turned to look at her, streaks of black mascara running down her face. She looked angry and screamed, “What have you done?”
Originally from San Antonio, Monica Bruno has lived in Austin since 2001. She’s an avid runner, dedicated yogi, loves indie rock music and live concerts. Rachel’s Folly is Bruno’s debut novel. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.com.
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My review at Amazon:
Rachel’s Folly is the best debut novel–one of the best suspense novels, period–that I’ve had the pleasure of reading over the past year. On the
surface, the book is a psychological thriller. While it succeeds in that respect, it is also a serious, thoughtful look at the consequences of adultery. How a momentary indiscretion can upset the balance of life not only for the participants, but for their surrounding friends and families, as well. A small cast of characters is developed with great care and insight. Nothing is rushed. This is a book you can immerse yourself in fully. When the big moments, the twists and revelations, do come, they are geniunely stunning. I expected the final confrontation to play differently, but laud the author’s decision to avoid the obvious ending and present another that was both surprising and true to the characters involved. Highly recommended.Monica Bruno is a writer I hope to see more from and soon.
—Walter Conley
katharine hepcat 