A BRAND-NEW GENRE FOR THIS BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Known for her historical novels about Hemingway’s wives (The Paris Wife and Love and Ruin) and Beryl Markham (Circling the Sun), McLain has turned her skills for “beautifully written and utterly engrossing” fiction (Anne Patchett) and “propulsive” writing (The New York Times Book Review) to suspense, in this tension-filled first-person narrative.

BASED ON ACTUAL MISSING PERSONS CASES: Set in 1993 when teenage girl abductions were rampant in California, the novel features the stories of several real victims.

INSPIRED BY THE AUTHOR’S CHILDHOOD: As a former foster child who grew up in California, McLain identifies with the trauma suffered by these lost girls, and has researched the fascinating connection between violent predators and their victims.

MORE THAN 50 WEEKS ON THE NYT BESTSELLER LIST: The Paris Wife was on the list for 49 weeks, and both Circling the Sun and Love and Ruin were New York Times and Globe & Mail bestsellers too.

PAULA McLAIN is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Love and Ruin, Circling the Sun, The Paris Wife, and A Ticket to Ride; the memoir Like Family: Growing Up in Other People’s Houses; and two collections of poetry. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, O: The Oprah Magazine, Town & Country, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, and elsewhere. She lives in Ohio with her family.

Author Residence: Cleveland, Ohio

Author Hometown: Fresno, California

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A MARIE CLAIRE BEST BOOK OF 2021

"A thoughtful exploration of the rippling impact of early trauma, perfect for true-crime aficionados and fans of Law & Order: SVU. . . . Anna Hart, it turns out, is tailor-made both for cracking the case and for probing the book's central themes. Her outspoken empathy feels downright refreshing in a fictional detective, and entirely believable because of the trauma in her own story. . . . McLain's prose is almost lyrical, especially when she turns to the untamed landscape of coastal California. But when it comes to descriptions of death, assault and abuse, she writes with measured restraint, a choice that forces the reader to accept these horrific events as grim reflections of our real world rather than gratuitous story machinations. In fact, McLain intentionally blurs the line between fact and fiction by braiding actual missing persons cases into the narrative, a touch that promptly sent me down several internet rabbit holes. . . . The kind of heart-pounding conclusion that thriller fans crave. As a bonus, avid readers of the genre will be pleased to find they've picked up several kernels of intellectual nourishment along the way." —The New York Times Book Review

"McLain has shifted so fluidly from historical fiction to suspense. . . . When the Stars Go Dark is an atmospheric and intricately plotted suspense novel." —Washington Post

"[A] stunning crime novel . . . McLain matches poetic prose with deep characterizations as she shines a light on the kindness in her characters' souls. Fans of literary suspense won't be able to put this one down." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A powerful, intense read, with Paula McLain's signature lyrical writing style." —Book Riot

"McLain offers readers flashes of insight . . . that will linger after the last, tension-packed pages of this thoughtful work. Recommend to patrons seeking a next read after Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark and the TV show Criminal Minds." —Booklist

"A psychological thriller that deftly evokes both the entrancing landscape of the Mendocino hills and the rough terrain of shattered lives. . . . Most memorable of all are the girls, past and present, who emerge here not as convenient victims but as vulnerable, believable characters. A muted yet thrilling multilayered mystery enriched by keen psychological and emotional insight." —Kirkus Reviews

"Paula McLain . . . focuses her gimlet eye on the not-so-sunny underbelly of California in this gripping new novel about a San Francisco detective who can’t seem to outrun her past." —Town & Country

"Stunning and atmospheric. . . . A complex mystery that will have you glued to the page." —Book Riot

"An inspired psychological thriller. . . . The fast-paced narrative is enriched with insights about trauma, foster care, forgiveness, returning home, and redemption. . . . When the Stars Go Dark is beautifully written and psychologically astute. McLain has created a riveting story that illuminates a tragic subject with wisdom, grace and even hope." —San Francisco Examiner

"Paula McLain has written a powerhouse of a novel that is guaranteed to keep the reader up all night. When the Stars Go Dark is a beautifully written, sharply observed literary thriller with an extraordinary, unforgettable heroine and a twisty plot with a surprise ending. An unconventional, unflinching look at the long shadow cast by trauma and the resilience it takes to survive. This is a novel of both great sadness and great beauty, a gripping story drenched in the exquisite allure of the natural world." —Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Great Alone and The Nightingale

"In Anna Hart, Paula McLain has created a vulnerable, intelligent, unforgettable protagonist whose interior life is as interesting as the mysteries she has to solve. When the Stars Go Dark is simultaneously suspenseful and moving—my favorite kind of book. I'll recommend it far and wide." —Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River

"Lyrical and beautiful . . . a riveting deep dive into trauma, survival, and obsession. With her deeply flawed and utterly compelling heroine, elegant prose, and layered, twisting story, Paula McLain has penned an extraordinary novel of literary suspense, as gripping as it is unique and unforgettable." —Lisa Unger, author of Confessions on the 7:45

"When the Stars Go Dark is a fantastically propulsive and deeply atmospheric novel that grabs you from the very first page. Visceral and hauntingly suspenseful, Paula McClain has proven to be a masterful storyteller no matter the genre." —Aimee Malloy, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother

"With this breathtaking novel, Paula McLain proves she can do anything. Exquisitely written, immersive, and atmospheric, When the Stars Go Dark is a tour de force of literary suspense. It pulled me under and left me gasping." —Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of The Exiles and Orphan Train

"Paula McLain, already established as the master of the historical novel, now explodes into crime fiction with a richly satisfying, tremendously moving mystery—haunting, poignant, lyrical, urgent, unique, unforgettable." —Chris Pavone, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Diversion and The Expats

"The twisty plot keeps the pages flying, and Paula McLain's lyrical and poetic prose reveals insight after insight about the human heart, making this riveting read not only an engrossing psychological thriller, but crime fiction of the highest order." —Lisa Scottoline, author of Someone Knows