In this tour de force, a father, shaken by tragedy, tries to avenge his daughter’s murder—and restore his family’s shattered life.
It was supposed to be a typical October evening for renowned portrait artist Will Light. Over dinner of lamb tagine, his wife, Sophie, would share news about chorus rehearsals for the upcoming holiday concert, and their teenage daughter, Lucy, would chatter about French club and field hockey. Only Lucy never came home. Her body was found, days later, in the woods.
The Eastern Seaboard town of Port Fortune used to be Will’s comfort. Now, there’s no safe harbor for him. Not even when Father Gervase asks Will to paint portraits of saints for the new cathedral. Using the townspeople as models, Will sees in each face only a mask of the darkness of evil. And he just might be painting his daughter’s killer.
As Will navigates his rage and heartbreak, Sophie tries to move on; Father Gervase becomes an unexpected ally; and Rain, Lucy’s best friend, shrouds herself in a near-silent fugue. Their paths collide in a series of inextricably linked, dark, dangerous moments that could lead to their undoing…or to their redemption.
Genre: Mystery
It was supposed to be a typical October evening for renowned portrait artist Will Light. Over dinner of lamb tagine, his wife, Sophie, would share news about chorus rehearsals for the upcoming holiday concert, and their teenage daughter, Lucy, would chatter about French club and field hockey. Only Lucy never came home. Her body was found, days later, in the woods.
The Eastern Seaboard town of Port Fortune used to be Will’s comfort. Now, there’s no safe harbor for him. Not even when Father Gervase asks Will to paint portraits of saints for the new cathedral. Using the townspeople as models, Will sees in each face only a mask of the darkness of evil. And he just might be painting his daughter’s killer.
As Will navigates his rage and heartbreak, Sophie tries to move on; Father Gervase becomes an unexpected ally; and Rain, Lucy’s best friend, shrouds herself in a near-silent fugue. Their paths collide in a series of inextricably linked, dark, dangerous moments that could lead to their undoing…or to their redemption.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"The Halo Effect is a wonderful hybrid: a compelling murder mystery and a thoughtful meditation on longing and loss. I was fascinated by the book's saints - and sinners." - Chris Bohjalian
"I just finished The Halo Effect and loved it. It’s a master class in voice and character, and in using secrets to drive suspense." - Hallie Ephron
"A mystery at once literate, intimate, and almost intolerably suspenseful - reminiscent of Louise Penny at her best." - Charles Finch
"Anne LeClaire's new novel The Halo Effect takes us into the life, the grief, the anguish, and the ultimate redemption of a man who has endured the excruciating loss of his only child through murder." - Elizabeth George
"The Halo Effect will keep you turning pages, and fast. But it is that rarest of page turners, a novel that illuminates our frailties and the depths of grief while also managing to be hopeful and wholly human." - Ann Hood
"The Halo Effect is a must-read for LeClaire's faithful fans and a sit-up-and-take-notice book for those who have yet to discover this talented, truth-seeking storyteller who asks the big questions as she observes the small but intricate details that make us human." - Wally Lamb
"The Halo Effect is both profoundly moving and deeply satisfying." - Margot Livesey
"Like the series of paintings at its core, The Halo Effect is the story of families torn and reborn, a meditation on duality, and a masterwork lit by compassion. I'm telling everyone I know about this book." - Sara Pennypacker
"After I finished reading The Halo Effect, I sat thinking for a long time about the people in this beautiful novel, so much like the ones I know and love." - Nancy Thayer
"I just finished The Halo Effect and loved it. It’s a master class in voice and character, and in using secrets to drive suspense." - Hallie Ephron
"A mystery at once literate, intimate, and almost intolerably suspenseful - reminiscent of Louise Penny at her best." - Charles Finch
"Anne LeClaire's new novel The Halo Effect takes us into the life, the grief, the anguish, and the ultimate redemption of a man who has endured the excruciating loss of his only child through murder." - Elizabeth George
"The Halo Effect will keep you turning pages, and fast. But it is that rarest of page turners, a novel that illuminates our frailties and the depths of grief while also managing to be hopeful and wholly human." - Ann Hood
"The Halo Effect is a must-read for LeClaire's faithful fans and a sit-up-and-take-notice book for those who have yet to discover this talented, truth-seeking storyteller who asks the big questions as she observes the small but intricate details that make us human." - Wally Lamb
"The Halo Effect is both profoundly moving and deeply satisfying." - Margot Livesey
"Like the series of paintings at its core, The Halo Effect is the story of families torn and reborn, a meditation on duality, and a masterwork lit by compassion. I'm telling everyone I know about this book." - Sara Pennypacker
"After I finished reading The Halo Effect, I sat thinking for a long time about the people in this beautiful novel, so much like the ones I know and love." - Nancy Thayer
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