In 1960s Colorado, a shy bookseller must reconcile her quiet life with the tantalizing world of her dreams.Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller once loved a doctor named Kevin, but it didn''t work out the way she had hoped. Now she leads a quiet life, running a bookshop with her best friend and enjoying the freedom that comes with being single. Then the dreams begin.Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It''s everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this dream world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn''s life becomes. As the lines between dream and reality begin to blur, Kitty must figure out what is real and what is imagined . . .

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERSOON TO BE A MAJOR FILM PRODUCED BY JULIA ROBERTSNothing is as permanent as it appears...Denver, 1962Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence.Then the dreams begin.Denver, 1963Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It's everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted - but it only exists when she sleeps. Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world.But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn's life becomes.Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?A hauntingly powerful novel that freshly considers the timeless question - 'What if?'

The lives of three very different women intersect in shocking ways in this “outstanding psychological thriller” (Library Journal, starred review), by the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookseller.In the autumn of 1960, Angie Glass is living an idyllic life in her Wisconsin hometown. At twenty-one, she’s married to handsome, charming Paul, and has just given birth to a baby boy. But one phone call changes her life forever. When Paul’s niece, Ruby, tells them that her father, Henry, has committed suicide and her mother, Silja, has gone missing, the newlyweds drop everything to be by Ruby’s side in the small upstate town of Stonekill, New York. Angie thinks they’re coming to the rescue of Paul’s grief-stricken young niece, but seventeen-year-old Ruby, self-possessed and enigmatic, resists Angie’s attempts to nurture her. While taking up residence in Henry and Silja’s eerie, ultra-modern house on the edge of the woods, Angie discovers astonishing truths about the complicated Glass family. As she learns about Henry and Silja’s spiraling relationship, and Ruby’s role in keeping them together, and apart, Angie begins to question the very fabric of her own marriage. As details of the past unfold and Ruby dissects her parents’ state of affairs, the Glass women realize what they’re capable of when it comes to love, secrets, and ultimate betrayal. As turbulent and electrified as the period it’s set in, The Glass Forest is an “intoxicating slow burn [that] builds to a conclusion rife with shocking reveals.” (Publishers Weekly)

Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies with Denver Noir. Brand-new stories by: Peter Heller, Barbara Nickless, Cynthia Swanson, Mario Acevedo, Francelia Belton, R. Alan Brooks, D.L. Cordero, Amy Drayer, Twanna LaTrice Hill, Manuel Ramos, Mark Stevens, Mathangi Subramanian, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, and Erika T. Wurth.

Denver enters the Noir Series arena with a wide range of mile-high misgivings and perils.Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city.Brand-new stories by: Peter Heller, Barbara Nickless, Cynthia Swanson, Mario Acevedo, Francelia Belton, R. Alan Brooks, D.L. Cordero, Amy Drayer, Twanna LaTrice Hill, Manuel Ramos, Mark Stevens, Mathangi Subramanian, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, and Erika T. Wurth."Denver Noir presents an impressive range of perspectives and observations. Between the writers and their characters, you''ll encounter dozens of distinct and compelling relationships with this place. Maybe you''ll start to see our city—and even yourself—in new ways." —Denver North Star"Denver Noir is a fascinating exploration of this sunny city''s dark side. Mountain views, a roughneck Gold Rush past, and stories of murder and mayhem make this anthology a must-read for anyone curious about Denver and its environs. Like the countless entries before it, Akashic Books allows an editor to craft an anthology filled with stories varying in tone and perspective." —New York Journal of BooksFrom the introduction by Cynthia Swanson:"Even a city that boasts three hundred days of sunshine a year has its sudden, often violent storms—and writers have long taken advantage of that metaphor. Renowned authors Katherine Anne Porter, Jack Kerouac, Stephen King, Rex Burns, Robert Greer, Michael Connelly, and Kali Fajardo-Anstine—among many others—have brilliantly portrayed this picturesque but often merciless city. Today, Denver is home to a thriving literary scene, with writers of all stripes finding inspiration in its people and streets. The authors and stories featured in Denver Noir are no exception . . .Editing Denver Noir, working with this talented group of writers, has been one of the highlights of my career. Fans of noir and Denver devotees alike, I invite you into this journey of our Mile High City, our home beside the mountains, our capital of sunshine and darkness, optimism and anguish."

KNOWLEDGE HAS A PRICE...It's 1979, and 14-year-old Suzanne, who should be enjoying her first year at Denver East High, is instead reckoning with the aftermath of her mother Alex's shooting death during a robbery at Alex's store, Zoe's Records. A clairvoyant since childhood, Suzanne is unsurprised when Alex's ghost appears. But when Alex raises alarm bells about Suzanne's father's new girlfriend, what Suzanne can't foresee is the lifelong repercussions as she heeds Alex's warning.In 2004, Suzanne returns to Denver with her husband and their two children, a defiant teenage daughter and a 9-year-old son with unspecified cognitive disabilities. When the opportunity arises to rent the old Zoe's Records space and turn it into a gallery, Suzanne jumps at the chance. While ecstatic to honor Alex's legacy, Suzanne nonetheless can't shake the sensation that she's being watched—while at the same time tackling a clandestine investigation of her own, searching for genetic clues into her family's hidden past that might lead to a diagnosis for her son.What if she knows too little? What if she discovers too much?WINNER: 2025 Colorado Book Award (Thriller) | Finalist, 2025 WILLA Award (Mystery/Thriller) | 2025 Best of Denver, Best Nationally Published Novel - Westword | 2024 Best Mystery/Thriller - Indie Author Project | Colorado Public Radio 2024 Books We Love

An 1880s theologian. A 1940s high school principal. A 1970s, first-ever-anywhere (she's pretty sure) female take on Bozo the Clown.In this collection, Cynthia Swanson explores the lives of nine women, including several ancillary figures from Swanson's beloved, bestselling novels. Covering more than a century of American history and landscapes, these stories examine recognizable struggles: gender presumptions, body image, gaslighting, and abuse, among others. The women's lives differ from one another, but they share a singular trait: their sex dictates the expectations stamped onto them. Each woman, in her time, must fight for who she is against the forces working to constrain her.This Isn't New asks: What can uniquely female history teach us about our own lives—and how can the power of story inform our choices going forward?

In 1960s Colorado, a shy bookseller must reconcile her quiet life with the tantalizing world of her dreams.Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller once loved a doctor named Kevin, but it didn''t work out the way she had hoped. Now she leads a quiet life, running a bookshop with her best friend and enjoying the freedom that comes with being single. Then the dreams begin.Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It''s everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this dream world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn''s life becomes. As the lines between dream and reality begin to blur, Kitty must figure out what is real and what is imagined . . .

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERSOON TO BE A MAJOR FILM PRODUCED BY JULIA ROBERTSNothing is as permanent as it appears...Denver, 1962Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence.Then the dreams begin.Denver, 1963Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It's everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted - but it only exists when she sleeps. Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world.But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn's life becomes.Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?A hauntingly powerful novel that freshly considers the timeless question - 'What if?'

The lives of three very different women intersect in shocking ways in this “outstanding psychological thriller” (Library Journal, starred review), by the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookseller.In the autumn of 1960, Angie Glass is living an idyllic life in her Wisconsin hometown. At twenty-one, she’s married to handsome, charming Paul, and has just given birth to a baby boy. But one phone call changes her life forever. When Paul’s niece, Ruby, tells them that her father, Henry, has committed suicide and her mother, Silja, has gone missing, the newlyweds drop everything to be by Ruby’s side in the small upstate town of Stonekill, New York. Angie thinks they’re coming to the rescue of Paul’s grief-stricken young niece, but seventeen-year-old Ruby, self-possessed and enigmatic, resists Angie’s attempts to nurture her. While taking up residence in Henry and Silja’s eerie, ultra-modern house on the edge of the woods, Angie discovers astonishing truths about the complicated Glass family. As she learns about Henry and Silja’s spiraling relationship, and Ruby’s role in keeping them together, and apart, Angie begins to question the very fabric of her own marriage. As details of the past unfold and Ruby dissects her parents’ state of affairs, the Glass women realize what they’re capable of when it comes to love, secrets, and ultimate betrayal. As turbulent and electrified as the period it’s set in, The Glass Forest is an “intoxicating slow burn [that] builds to a conclusion rife with shocking reveals.” (Publishers Weekly)

Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies with Denver Noir. Brand-new stories by: Peter Heller, Barbara Nickless, Cynthia Swanson, Mario Acevedo, Francelia Belton, R. Alan Brooks, D.L. Cordero, Amy Drayer, Twanna LaTrice Hill, Manuel Ramos, Mark Stevens, Mathangi Subramanian, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, and Erika T. Wurth.

Denver enters the Noir Series arena with a wide range of mile-high misgivings and perils.Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city.Brand-new stories by: Peter Heller, Barbara Nickless, Cynthia Swanson, Mario Acevedo, Francelia Belton, R. Alan Brooks, D.L. Cordero, Amy Drayer, Twanna LaTrice Hill, Manuel Ramos, Mark Stevens, Mathangi Subramanian, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, and Erika T. Wurth."Denver Noir presents an impressive range of perspectives and observations. Between the writers and their characters, you''ll encounter dozens of distinct and compelling relationships with this place. Maybe you''ll start to see our city—and even yourself—in new ways." —Denver North Star"Denver Noir is a fascinating exploration of this sunny city''s dark side. Mountain views, a roughneck Gold Rush past, and stories of murder and mayhem make this anthology a must-read for anyone curious about Denver and its environs. Like the countless entries before it, Akashic Books allows an editor to craft an anthology filled with stories varying in tone and perspective." —New York Journal of BooksFrom the introduction by Cynthia Swanson:"Even a city that boasts three hundred days of sunshine a year has its sudden, often violent storms—and writers have long taken advantage of that metaphor. Renowned authors Katherine Anne Porter, Jack Kerouac, Stephen King, Rex Burns, Robert Greer, Michael Connelly, and Kali Fajardo-Anstine—among many others—have brilliantly portrayed this picturesque but often merciless city. Today, Denver is home to a thriving literary scene, with writers of all stripes finding inspiration in its people and streets. The authors and stories featured in Denver Noir are no exception . . .Editing Denver Noir, working with this talented group of writers, has been one of the highlights of my career. Fans of noir and Denver devotees alike, I invite you into this journey of our Mile High City, our home beside the mountains, our capital of sunshine and darkness, optimism and anguish."

KNOWLEDGE HAS A PRICE...It's 1979, and 14-year-old Suzanne, who should be enjoying her first year at Denver East High, is instead reckoning with the aftermath of her mother Alex's shooting death during a robbery at Alex's store, Zoe's Records. A clairvoyant since childhood, Suzanne is unsurprised when Alex's ghost appears. But when Alex raises alarm bells about Suzanne's father's new girlfriend, what Suzanne can't foresee is the lifelong repercussions as she heeds Alex's warning.In 2004, Suzanne returns to Denver with her husband and their two children, a defiant teenage daughter and a 9-year-old son with unspecified cognitive disabilities. When the opportunity arises to rent the old Zoe's Records space and turn it into a gallery, Suzanne jumps at the chance. While ecstatic to honor Alex's legacy, Suzanne nonetheless can't shake the sensation that she's being watched—while at the same time tackling a clandestine investigation of her own, searching for genetic clues into her family's hidden past that might lead to a diagnosis for her son.What if she knows too little? What if she discovers too much?WINNER: 2025 Colorado Book Award (Thriller) | Finalist, 2025 WILLA Award (Mystery/Thriller) | 2025 Best of Denver, Best Nationally Published Novel - Westword | 2024 Best Mystery/Thriller - Indie Author Project | Colorado Public Radio 2024 Books We Love

An 1880s theologian. A 1940s high school principal. A 1970s, first-ever-anywhere (she's pretty sure) female take on Bozo the Clown.In this collection, Cynthia Swanson explores the lives of nine women, including several ancillary figures from Swanson's beloved, bestselling novels. Covering more than a century of American history and landscapes, these stories examine recognizable struggles: gender presumptions, body image, gaslighting, and abuse, among others. The women's lives differ from one another, but they share a singular trait: their sex dictates the expectations stamped onto them. Each woman, in her time, must fight for who she is against the forces working to constrain her.This Isn't New asks: What can uniquely female history teach us about our own lives—and how can the power of story inform our choices going forward?