The First Rains of October

August St. Clair is still in high school as the book's numbing opening sets the scene; chased by a rapist, she leaps off a cliff, crashing into the icy ocean never to be heard from again. Clay Moorehouse, her boyfriend, spends the next ten years in prison for her murder. When a young woman shows up in town claiming to be August, it sets in motion a cascading series of events forcing the townspeople to question to what lengths they will go to make sure that the truth is never revealed. When a long-buried secret suddenly resurfaces, it threatens to turn the lives of everyone involved inside out. 'First Rains of October' takes on the moral issues brought about by unexpected change—in a compelling manner that won't easily be forgotten; where crime and punishment, loss and forgiveness, spirituality and revenge, all collide in a chilling, life-changing chain reaction of events that none of the characters could ever have anticipated. Ultimately, it's the story of love blossoming amongst turmoil, turning tragedy into triumph, even opening the door for miracles. People are not always what they appear to be, and sometimes those we trust the most are those we should trust the least. Exciting and insightful, First Rains of October is both a thriller and a morality tale for our times. Please note: Language. Not for those under 17.