Description

My husband asked me to lie. Not a big lie. He probably didn’t even consider it a lie, and neither did I, at first . . .

A thrilling debut novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng about how far we’ll go to protect our families, and our deepest secrets

WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

In rural Virginia, Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental medical treatment device known as the Miracle Submarine: a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter for “dives”, used as an alternative therapy for conditions including autism or infertility. But when the Miracle Submarine mysteriously explodes, killing two people, a dramatic murder trial upends the Yoos’ small community.

Who or what caused the explosion? Was it the mother of one of the patients, who claimed to be sick that day but was smoking down by the creek? Or was it Young and Pak themselves, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? The ensuing trial uncovers unimaginable secrets from that night – trysts in the woods, mysterious notes, child-abuse charges – as well as tense rivalries and alliances among a group of people driven to extraordinary degrees of desperation and sacrifice.

‘Engrossing . . . Miracle Creek turns a courtroom murder trial into a page-turning exploration of parenting, experimental therapies, and the emotional toil of immigration’ Elle

‘A marvel, a taut courtroom thriller that ultimately tells the most human story imaginable, a story of good intentions and reckless passions. Compelling, generous, at once empathetic and unsparing . . . the perfect novel for these chaotic times in which we live’ Laura Lippman

‘Kim has written a bold debut novel about science and immigration and the hopes and fears each engenders – unforgettable and true’ Alexander Chee

‘Grabbed me hard right from the start. This is a terrific courtroom thriller, a sly whodunit that’s beautifully written and also full of heart’ Scott Turow

Publisher Review

I picked up MIRACLE CREEK and literally couldn't put it down. It's that wonderful, brilliant sort of book you want to shove at other people as soon as you've finished so they can experience it for themselves. -- Erin Morgenstern Combining the tense atmosphere of a courtroom drama with a moving study of the sacrifices that parents are prepared to make for their children, Angie Kim's debut is pacey and thought-provoking. * Sunday Express, S Magazine * Miracle Creek is a tense, addictive and brilliantly written story of small-town secrets * Stylist * With twists and turns at every chapter, this will leave you gripped - especially with its didn't-see-that-coming ending * Heat * Engrossing . . . Miracle Creek turns a courtroom murder trial into a page-turning exploration of parenting, experimental therapies, and the emotional toil of immigration * Elle * A powerful and intriguing courtroom drama, which will resonate with readers who enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere * Irish Times * With so many complications and loose ends, one of the miracles of the novel is that the author ties it all together and arrives at a deeply satisfying?though not easy or sentimental?ending. Intricate plotting and courtroom theatrics, combined with moving insight into parenting special needs children and the psychology of immigrants, make this book both a learning experience and a page-turner. Should be huge. * Kirkus * I know this story but have never seen it in a novel - the struggles of the Korean immigrant entrepreneur in America, with a technology that seems like magic, who can go from hero to villain in an instant, now at the center of what is possibly a murder - a bright seam of crisis, mystery, and love emerges in these pages. Kim has written a bold debut novel about science and immigration and the hopes and fears each engenders?unforgettable and true. -- Alexander Chee Miracle Creek is a marvel, a taut courtroom thriller that ultimately tells the most human story imaginable, a story of good intentions and reckless passions. Compelling, generous, at once empathetic and unsparing. I am wrecked, I am heartened and hopeful, which means, in short, that Miracle Creek is pretty much the perfect novel for these chaotic times in which we live. -- Laura Lippman Miracle Creek is an engrossing puzzle-box of a book: a twisty courtroom drama that also manages to be emotionally astute, culturally perceptive, and deeply empathetic. Angie Kim tackles hot-button subjects with a delicate touch, proving herself a master of both portraiture and storytelling. I loved this novel. -- Janelle Brown A stand-out, twisty debut...Kim, a former lawyer, clearly knows her stuff...a masterfully plotted novel about the joys and pains of motherhood, the trick mirror nature of truth, and the unforgiving nature of justice. * Publishers Weekly * Stunning . . . an utterly engrossing mail-biter of a courtroom drama * Nylon Magazine * Great for book club... In Miracle Creek, Angie Kim (a former trial lawyer) delivers a propulsive courtroom drama * Real Simple * Like a Law & Order episode tossed into an immigrant's bildungsroman, Miracle Creek has the heart of a Celeste Ng novel and the pacing of a thriller * Vulture * Stellar . . . Full of texture and humanity, with a gripping mystery at its centre, Miracle Creek is an excellent debut. Angie Kim is one to watch * CultureFly * Miracle Creek grabbed me hard right from the start. This is a terrific courtroom thriller, a sly whodunit that's beautifully written and also full of heart -- Scott Turow The story of the disaster twists and turns from the beginning... The whole makes for gripping reading, with characters whose concerns are brought vividly to life * Crime Review * A story that's both murder mystery and reflection on otherness * TIME *