“…because the past was always around her and might return at any time. It prowled the world searching for her, and she knew it was growing angrier at every passing day.” ― Nicholas Sparks
What if…? The two most provocative words in the English language and the inspiration for countless novels. What if… you needed to leave your life—flee, disappear, run faster than something or someone that was chasing you? My first novel, Hush Little Baby, and my latest novel, Hadley & Grace, explore this familiar trope. The first was inspired by a friend who fled an abusive marriage. The second was inspired by one of the greatest women-on-the-run stories ever, Thelma and Louise. Below are six other novels about women trying to outrun their past:
Brit Bennett, The Vanishing Half (Riverhead Books)
Probably the most popular current woman-on-the-run novel is Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half. Twin sisters, Desiree and Stella, run away at sixteen determined to leave their pasts behind. One sister embraces her roots and chooses to live as a black woman, while the other continues her journey as white passing. But bloodlines have a way of remaining entwined, and it’s only a matter of times before the two sisters lives intersect and both are forced to reconcile their choices as well as their relationship. You may be able run from your past, but you cannot change it. This is a multilayered story that delves deep into identity and the extent to which we are able to truly transform.
Barbara O’Neal, When We Believed in Mermaids (Lake Union)
When we believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal is another story about wanting to put a troubled past behind. Fifteen years ago, Josie Bianci died… or so her family believed. Until one day, Josie’s sister, Kit, sees a fleeting image on television of a woman identical to her sister. Kit follows the trail to New Zealand hoping to put her own demons to rest. And when she finds her sister, alive and living a life entirely removed from the one she left behind, past and present collide, and Kit and Josie are forced to face a choice of how much they are willing to risk by facing the truth for the sake of reclaiming their relationship. A stunning story full of secrets, betrayal, loss, forgiveness, and redemption.
Nicholas Sparks, Safe Haven (Grand Central)
While Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks was written ten years ago, it’s so well known—both the novel and the movie—I felt it should be included in this list. The novel is a classic story about a woman fleeing in fear for her life. Katie married young believing she was in love, but the marriage quickly turned violent. After years of abuse, she escapes, settling in a small remote town in North Carolina where she hopes her husband will never find her. But the past has a cruel way of catching up, and when the danger grows close, Katie needs to decide between running again or taking a second chance on love and standing down the devil. Heartrending and powerful, Safe Haven walks the fine line between romance and suspense as only Nicolas Sparks can.
Nancy Price, Sleeping with the Enemy (Celadon)
Similar to Safe Haven, Sleeping with the Enemy by Nancy Price is the quintessential woman-on-the-run story. This powerful thriller follows Sara Burney, a battered wife, as she plots a masterful escape from her controlling, brutal husband, Martin, by faking her own death. Believing she pulled it off, Sara (now Laura) begins to build a new life. But one wrong move—a visit to her ailing mother—causes things unravel. Heart pounding, this story barrels along at a breakneck pace and never lets up.
Anna Quindlen, Black and Blue (Delta)
Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen rounds out the trio of abused wives running from their abusive husbands. Each day, Beth looks at her ten-year-old son and reminds herself that he is the reason she needed to leave. The bruises have healed, but the fear of Bobby catching up with them remains. He always said he would never let her go, and despite how careful she’s been, she knows, it’s only a matter of time before he catches them. Anna Quindlen has a gift for making the reader believe her stories are real, and Black and Blue is no exception. This chilling story stayed with me long after I finished reading it.
Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl (Crown)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is my favorite woman-on-the-run story, mostly for how original it is. Amy Dunne has gone missing, and Nick Dunne, her husband, is the prime suspect. Evidence against him mounts as an annual wedding anniversary treasure hunt turns up a slew of clues—an affair between Nick and one of his students; the shocking revelation that Amy is pregnant; and a diary that divulges Amy’s growing isolation and her fear that Nick is going to kill her. But… what if? This twisty, turny novel is too good to give away, but it puts a whole new spin on the classic cat-and-mouse chase.
***
