Their mother left them more than memories—she left them a murder.
When twin sisters Cassandra and Anastasia return to their childhood home in rural Connecticut, they discover an unpublished manuscript hidden among their deceased mother's belongings. Written by their mom's girlfriend AJ, it's a murder mystery that reads like fiction—except their mother is a key character, and the 40-year-old cold case at its center is all too real.
Cassie, a writer, sees a bestseller. Ana, terrified of what they'll uncover, wants to burn it.
As the sisters follow AJ's story into the disturbing truth behind an abandoned village the locals call Grabtown, the line between past and present blurs. Cassie's volatile husband Marsh demands they stop digging. A retired detective arrives asking dangerous questions. And someone believes AJ's manuscript isn't fiction—it's a confession.
What's really behind Marsh's lucrative rare-motorcar business? Why won't the past stay buried? And why is a major crimes detective now urging them to flee?
Grabtown is a gripping dual-timeline thriller that exposes the dark underbelly of small-town secrets, where sisterhood and courage become the only weapons against those who prey on the vulnerable. Perfect for fans of Kellye Garrett's Like a Sister, Shari Lapena’s Listen for the Lie, and Amy Gentry's Good as Gone.
Genre: Psychological Thriller (Suspense)
Age Suggestion: Adult
Tropes: Cold Case Mystery, Dual Timeline Investigation, Manuscript‑Within‑a‑Story, Small‑Town Secrets, Abandoned Town Lore
Trigger / CW: Murder (past cold case), Abuse (non‑graphic), Trafficking references (non‑graphic), Domestic volatility / controlling spouse, Threats, danger, stalking, Emotional trauma
Spice Warning: Mild (fade-to-black or fully clothed)
Author: Sarah P. Blanchard
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 392
Publication Date: October 15, 2025
ISBN: 979-8999692207
Series: N/A
Sarah Blanchard is an award‑winning author of dark fiction and poetry, known for Drawn from Life and Grabtown. A Pushcart Prize nominee and former university writing instructor, she draws inspiration from her life in small towns across New England, North Carolina, and Hawaii.
Their mother left them more than memories—she left them a murder.
When twin sisters Cassandra and Anastasia return to their childhood home in rural Connecticut, they discover an unpublished manuscript hidden among their deceased mother's belongings. Written by their mom's girlfriend AJ, it's a murder mystery that reads like fiction—except their mother is a key character, and the 40-year-old cold case at its center is all too real.
Cassie, a writer, sees a bestseller. Ana, terrified of what they'll uncover, wants to burn it.
As the sisters follow AJ's story into the disturbing truth behind an abandoned village the locals call Grabtown, the line between past and present blurs. Cassie's volatile husband Marsh demands they stop digging. A retired detective arrives asking dangerous questions. And someone believes AJ's manuscript isn't fiction—it's a confession.
What's really behind Marsh's lucrative rare-motorcar business? Why won't the past stay buried? And why is a major crimes detective now urging them to flee?
Grabtown is a gripping dual-timeline thriller that exposes the dark underbelly of small-town secrets, where sisterhood and courage become the only weapons against those who prey on the vulnerable. Perfect for fans of Kellye Garrett's Like a Sister, Shari Lapena’s Listen for the Lie, and Amy Gentry's Good as Gone.
Genre: Psychological Thriller (Suspense)
Age Suggestion: Adult
Tropes: Cold Case Mystery, Dual Timeline Investigation, Manuscript‑Within‑a‑Story, Small‑Town Secrets, Abandoned Town Lore
Trigger / CW: Murder (past cold case), Abuse (non‑graphic), Trafficking references (non‑graphic), Domestic volatility / controlling spouse, Threats, danger, stalking, Emotional trauma
Spice Warning: Mild (fade-to-black or fully clothed)
Author: Sarah P. Blanchard
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 392
Publication Date: October 15, 2025
ISBN: 979-8999692207
Series: N/A
Sarah Blanchard is an award‑winning author of dark fiction and poetry, known for Drawn from Life and Grabtown. A Pushcart Prize nominee and former university writing instructor, she draws inspiration from her life in small towns across New England, North Carolina, and Hawaii.
