The Good Ones

Bold, beautiful, savage and stunning. The Good Ones is a taut thriller, an elegant exploration of loss and the haunt of past mistakes, and a true page-turning mystery. I adored it. – Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of WE BEGIN AT THE ENDAn irresistible mystery, superbly crafted with all the stealth and intrigue of the best Southern Gothics – Anna Bailey, author of Sunday Times bestseller TALL BONESPolly Stewart’s haunting and menacing novel is an event of voice, and a compelling mystery that probes the dark places our minds go when a woman or girl is missing. The Good Ones pokes an exploring finger into old bruises, showing how the small decisions we make can change everything. I read it in a single sitting. – Hayley Scrivenor, author of DIRT TOWNA fantastic achievement. A classic Southern Gothic tale told through the prism of modern-day sensibilities. Not to be missed – S. A. Cosby, author of RAZORBLADE TEARSThe friendship at the heart of this gripping mystery is among the darkest and most complicated relationships I’ve read. The Good Ones had me suspecting everyone in Tyndall County, only to be proven wrong by an ending I never saw coming. Polly Stewart is an author to watch. – Ana Reyes, author of Reese’s Book Club pick THE HOUSE IN THE PINESA haunting, gorgeously rendered portrayal … A riveting, unflinching exploration of adolescent female friendships, small-town pressures to conform, and the true crime lover’s tendency to conflate empathy and voyeurism, The Good Ones drew me in from the first lines and still hasn’t released me, days after finishing. I envy readers opening Polly Stewart’s beautiful, assured novel for the first time – Katie Gutierrez, author of Radio 2 Book Club pick MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOWSmartly suspenseful and knife-sharp … In these pages, those who stay behind have as many secrets as those who go missing, and I couldn’t stop reading until I’d untangled every mystery – Sara Flannery Murphy, author of GIRL ONEA stunning achievement. With gorgeous writing, a compelling, flawed protagonist whose journey is so authentic, and an intricate mystery in which everyone is a suspect, this debut is captivating. The twists and turns are seamless and subtle … a mind-blowing ending – Samantha M. Bailey, author of WOMAN ON THE EDGEReminiscent of Gone Girl with elements of Yellowjackets thrown in – Eli Cranor, author of DON’T KNOW TOUGHStylish and totally compelling … as concerned with finding a missing woman as it is with challenging our assumptions about motherhood. I loved it! – Darcey Bell, author of A SIMPLE FAVORSharp, smart and often sexy, The Good Ones is a knockout … the many raw secrets of Tyndall County that make this novel unique, clever, and compelling – Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of THE HEATHENSDark, suspenseful and thought-provoking … kept me turning pages late into the night – Alison Buccola, author of CATCH HER WHEN SHE FALLSA riveting debut crime novel that’s loaded with elements that readers will love - powerful characters, a fraught homecoming, and twists galore. I really enjoyed reading this - and I’m certain I won’t be alone in that. – Alex Segura, author of SECRET IDENTITY

Polly Stewart grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where she still lives. She has an MFA in fiction and a Ph.D. in British literature from Washington University in St. Louis. Her short fiction has appeared in Best New American Voices and Best American Mystery Stories, and her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, Poets & Writers and CrimeReads, among other publications.