Rene is the author of the acclaimed novels The Child Finder and The Enchanted, as well as essays in publications such as the New York Times. Rene's literary thriller, The Child Finder, explores themes of survival, resiliency and redemption. It has received much acclaim, including a starred Library Journal review, major press, and an Indie Next pick. Landing as the #1 fiction bestseller at Powell's within its first week, The Child Finder became a top bestseller in Canada and a bestseller in the United States.
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Rene Denfeld recommends
The Horse (2024) Willy Vlautin "Willy Vlautin's characters blaze with honesty, fighting for their slim chance at the American dream."
King of the Armadillos (2023) Wendy Chin-Tanner "This remarkable, brilliant book shows us the power of exile-and the dreams of freedom. Wendy Chin-Tanner pulls back the veil on a federal leprosarium in the 1950s, with a rich cast of characters who find refuge in art and love. Inspired by her own family history, it rings with authenticity and delight, finding great joy even in sorrow. An absolute treasure of a book."
About the Carleton Sisters (2023) Dian Greenwood "In turns tender and wise, About the Carleton Sisters is an exploration of sisterly love. Dian Greenwood writes into the heart of sibling bonds, telling a story of three sisters in their mother's final days. These characters are complex, real, and dealing with transgressions that might break them apart - or bring them together. This is a touching, tender book that will appeal to readers of all ages."
Carmen and Grace (2023) Melissa Coss Aquino "Prepare to not breathe. This is a remarkable, heart-pounding book based on the best kind of tension - the real kind. . . . By turns touching, terrifying, and mesmerizing. Melissa Coss Aquino is a brilliant writer and this is the book of the year."
The Dangers of an Ordinary Night (2021) Lynne Reeves "Both tender and tense, this novel trembles with the secrets lying under its many perfect facades. Lynne Reeves writes a thriller like no other: informed, nuanced, and forever keeping you at the edge of your seat. Grab this one!"
Moon and the Mars (2021) Kia Corthron "A searing, far-flung epic, a truly American tale, centered on one girl of African-American and Irish heritage, as she makes her way into a world rife with brutality, change and war. Kia Corthron is one of our finest novelists, constantly unveiling the truth and the way histories have been hidden from us, revealing people in all their glory and imperfection. This isn't just a novel. It is a history, a monument to hope."
In the Event of Contact (2021) Ethel Rohan "In this amazing collection, Rohan traces the determined spirit of the hopeful; how we seek to connect and anchor so as not to capsize in life's treacherous waves. What an elegant, telling, gorgeous book."
Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan (2020) Deborah Reed "Gorgeous, luminescent, and imbued with hope, meet Violet Swan, ninety-three years old, and with a heck of a story to tell. Be prepared to be spellbound."
Road Out of Winter (2020) Alison Stine "Stark, dark and strangely urgent, this is a book that grabs you on the first page and doesn't let go. Alison Stine is a master at the craft. She takes us on a wild ride inside a future that feels all too real, with characters we care about, and a story that we start wishing will never end."
The Whispering House (2020) Elizabeth Brooks "Shimmering, lush, with prose that beats at the heart, The Whispering House will keep you up all night. Elizabeth Brooks has written a gothic mystery like no other."
Saving Ruby King (2020) Catherine Adel West "What an astonishing book. Catherine Adel West breathes life into violence and mayhem like a poet on a new day. These are the stories we need to hear: voices of hope in a wilderness of pain."
The Distant Dead (2020) Heather Young "Bright, flawless writing, wonderful characters, and a sense of pacing that ratchets up the tension—what more could you want from a thriller? I loved this book. I bet you will too."
The Chill (2020) Scott Carson "Part old-fashioned horror story, part supernatural thriller, THE CHILL is a breathtaking story of justice—and revenge. Once I started this book I couldn't put it down. Prepare to be chilled."
What's Left of Me Is Yours (2019) Stephanie Scott "At once luminous and captivating, What's Left of Me is Yours is the best kind of fiction: it tells a truth. All the easy lies about love fall away, as Stephanie Scott explores its often bitter, twisting, aching core. This is a brilliant, haunting book."
The Lost Night (2019) Andrea Bartz "Exciting, gripping, disquieting...a magnificent examination of the dark corners of our souls.This season's must-read novel."
