When life takes your identity, you make a new one. Walking off the grid in search of safety from the ex who stole her life, Josie Sawyer is dumped into the deep end. Her late uncle’s mountain homestead comes with responsibility for his elderly friend, and Josie’s finances are quickly strained by a medical emergency and the aging property’s mounting repairs. She needs help and money—fast. Determined to put his criminal past behind him, Everett O’Reagan has vowed to build a better life for himself and his daughter. So, he jumps at the chance to work for Josie as the homestead’s live-in handyman. But between trying to dodge the nosy local sheriff and appease his caseworker, Everett’s new reputation is on shaky ground. Nevertheless, a cautious bond forms between Josie and her new tenants, and the friendship leaves her hoping she might repair her sense of human connection. But when suspicious activity on her property points to a dangerous trespasser, a dark discovery shatters Josie’s blooming trust. Maybe a secure life with a new family was just a fool’s hope in Silent Creek… 2025 Book of the Year Winner - NN Light Awards