Things Don't Break on Their Own

A Novel

By: Sarah Easter Collins

Narrated by: Christina Cole, Emily Lucienne, Nathalie Buscombe

“This is the one: the next must-read, must-recommend, must-discuss, must-re-read novel. A miraculous literary thriller, shocking, daring, moving, haunting, infinitely rewarding—as though Kate Atkinson and Ruth Rendell had joined forces.”—A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window and End of Story

ONE OF THE WASHINGTON POST’S 12 THRILLERS TO READ THIS SUMMER • ONE OF BLOOMBERG’S TOP NEW BOOKS FOR YOUR SUMMER READING LIST

A heart-wrenching mystery about sisters, lovers, and a dinner party gone wrong.

Twenty-five years ago, a young girl left home to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed. But one of them arrived, and one of them didn’t.

Her sister’s disappearance has defined Willa’s life. Everyone thinks her sister is dead, but Willa knows she isn’t. Because there are some things that only sisters know about each other—and some bonds only sisters can break.

Willa sees fragments of her sister everywhere—the way that woman on the train turns her head, the gait of that woman in Paris. If there’s the slightest resemblance, Willa drops everything, and everyone, and tries to see if it is her.

When Willa is invited to a dinner party thrown by her first love, she has no reason to expect it will be anything other than an ordinary evening. Both of them have moved on, ancient history. But nothing about Willa’s life has been ordinary since the day her sister disappeared, and that’s not about to change tonight.

Sarah Easter Collins has written an extraordinary novel about memory, lost love, and long-buried secrets that sometimes see the light of day.

©2024 Sarah Easter Collins (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A captivating, haunting, and twisty story that explores the nature of loss and trauma, and the tricks that our memories play on us. A terrific debut from a promising talent.”—Karin Slaughter, the New York Times and #1 international bestselling author

“This is the one: the next must-read, must-recommend, must-discuss, must-re-read novel. A miraculous literary thriller, shocking, daring, moving, haunting, infinitely rewarding— as though Kate Atkinson and Ruth Rendell had joined forces.”—A.J. Finn

“Cleverly crafted and deeply moving, this beautiful book is a genuine page-turner. It was original, it was gripping, it was shocking, and I loved it.”—Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Rock Paper Scissors and Daisy Darker

Mystery at its best

The writing is elegant, the story and its structure brilliant, and the characters are beautifully developed

Beautifully written combination of wonderful storytelling and crime thriller.

Characters were very complex- both likable and flawed. Writing was above par - really beautifully told story.

A maze of viewpoints

Each character only knows part of the story and the storylines blend together very effectively. Sometimes the audio is too soft or fast

One of the best books I’ve listened to in my long life

Deeply emotional, too compelling to listen to in small bits. Extraordinary characters I suspect will stay with me for a very, very long time. Exquisite writing.

So Very Good

Wonderfully written and read story. The twists and turns will keep you on your toes.

Complicated story.

I didn’t think in the beginning I was going to like this book. Then- I loved it!! Bravo

Fantastic!

Beautifully written and read. Its moving and surprising and I was hooked from start to finish. Can't recommend enough!

Brilliant storytelling

I loved this book. Was a little confusing at first but then it all falls in place. Loved it