A debut novel of first friendships, family secrets and finding the courage to let go, told in a voice full of humour, irreverence and sass

'Told with warmth and humor by a memorable, irrepressible heroine.' Rumaan Alam, author of LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND

'Darkly funny and fiery, heart-breaking and healing, with language so gorgeous I went back to read sentences again and again.' Jacqueline Woodson, author of RED AT THE BONE


'Just the book we all need to revive our souls . . . This epic novel deserves all the attention in the world.' Nicole Dennis-Benn, author of HERE COMES THE SUN

What if the price of moving forward is losing the only family you've ever known?

Summer, 1987. On the sweltering streets of the dying New England mill town of Swift River, sixteen-year-old Diamond Newbury is desperately lonely. It's been seven years since her father disappeared, and while her mother is determined to move on, Diamond can't distance herself from his memory. When Diamond receives a letter from a relative she has never met, she unearths long-buried secrets of her family's past and discovers a legacy she never knew she was missing. The more she learns, however, the harder it becomes to reconcile her old life with the one she wants to lead.

So begins an epic story spanning the twentieth century that reveals a much larger picture of prejudice and love, of devotion and abandonment - and will change Diamond's life forever.

'Swift River broke my heart, and then offered me hope.' Ann Napolitano, author of HELLO BEAUTIFUL

'A fearless, cinematic exploration of loss and inheritance, written with fierce urgency and overflowing compassion.' Xochitl Gonzalez, author of OLGA DIES DREAMING