The Alone Time - by Elle Marr (Paperback)

About the Book

"For two sisters, confronting the past could come at a terrible price in a riveting novel about a family tragedy--and family secrets. Fiona and Violet Seng were just children when their family's Cessna crash-landed in the Washington wilderness, claiming the lives of their parents. For twelve harrowing weeks, the girls fended for themselves before being rescued. Twenty-five years later, they're still trying to move on from the trauma. Fiona repurposes it into controversial works of art. Violet has battled addiction and failed relationships to finally progress toward normalcy as a writer. The estranged sisters never speak about what they call their Alone Time in the wild. They wouldn't dare--until they become the subject of a documentary that renews public fascination with the "girl survivors" and questions their version of the events. When disturbing details about the Seng family are exposed, a strange woman claims to know the crash was deliberate. Fiona and Violet must come together to face the horrifying truth of what happened out there and what they learned about their parents and themselves. Before any other secrets emerge from the woods."--

Book Synopsis

For two sisters, confronting the past could come at a terrible price in a riveting novel about a family tragedy--and family secrets--by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Elle Marr.

Fiona and Violet Seng were just children when their family's Cessna crash-landed in the Washington wilderness, claiming the lives of their parents. For twelve harrowing weeks, the girls fended for themselves before being rescued.

Twenty-five years later, they're still trying to move on from the trauma. Fiona repurposes it into controversial works of art. Violet has battled addiction and failed relationships to finally progress toward normalcy as a writer. The estranged sisters never speak about what they call their Alone Time in the wild. They wouldn't dare--until they become the subject of a documentary that renews public fascination with the "girl survivors" and questions their version of the events.

When disturbing details about the Seng family are exposed, a strange woman claims to know the crash was deliberate. Fiona and Violet must come together to face the horrifying truth of what happened out there and what they learned about their parents and themselves. Before any other secrets emerge from the woods.

Review Quotes

The Alone Time

"Twisted, cleverly red herring-littered plotting. Readers will gladly follow [Marr's] lead to the final page." --Booklist

"A steady build-up that questions the origins of a tragedy and the motives of the survivors and pits survival, ambition, and perhaps the truth against each other, leading to a finale that will surprise even the most perceptive readers. Will appeal to fans of Jennifer Hillier, Jordan Harper, and Michelle Sacks." --Library Journal

"A finely crafted work of psychological suspense thriller fiction from first page to last..." --Midwest Book Review

"Absolutely chilling, The Alone Time delves into the lives of sisters Fiona and Violet as they navigate life after surviving the plane crash that killed their parents. Each layer of the story is expertly revealed, leaving you in shock as you wonder what is the truth and what is only imagined." --Lyn Liao Butler, Amazon bestselling author of Someone Else's Life

"Marr's The Alone Time is a captivating, thrilling, deeply haunting tale about familial bonds, family secrets, memory, and trauma. This book is so twisty that it will give you whiplash! Absorbing, beautifully written, and fraught with tension, The Alone Time will keep you in its grip until the very last page. Fantastic. It will leave you reeling!" --Lisa Regan, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

"In this story nothing is as it seems. Part mystery, part survival tale, and part family drama, this intricately woven tale had me flipping through the pages quickly. Told alternately between the present and the past, the pieces clicked into place one by one, each chapter adding another layer of mystery and suspense. There were several twists at the end, one that had me reeling. A beautifully written story with high-stakes suspense! You don't want to miss this one." --Amber Garza, author of In a Quiet Town

The Family Bones

"Marr expertly builds tension by alternating between the two narratives, which eventually merge and build to an explosive conclusion. Readers will be captivated from the very first page." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"With a fresh take on the locked-room mystery, Elle Marr weaves a perilous and pulse-pounding tale of nature versus nurture. The Family Bones is a clever, wild, riveting ride that amps up the tension until I couldn't flip the page fast enough. The interconnected threads, subtle clues, and jaw-dropping twists lead to a whopper of an ending." --Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her

"'Dysfunctional' doesn't even begin to describe the Eriksen clan during this family reunion from hell. Elle Marr's twisty plot and even more twisted characters make The Family Bones a dark, delectable, and fascinating thriller that questions how well we know not only our relatives but also our own minds." --Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot

"Smart, razor sharp, and shocking, The Family Bones will keep you up late with all the lights on. A family of psychopaths trapped by bad weather at an isolated retreat--what could possibly go wrong? With dual storylines racing toward a chilling climax, The Family Bones is a tense, must-read thriller." --Kaira Rouda, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author

Strangers We Know

"The increasingly tense plot takes turns the reader won't see coming. Marr is a writer to watch." --Publishers Weekly

"Elle Marr is an author to know. Just when you think you understand the motives behind her characters and the way their storylines are being presented--bam!--Elle will hit you with twists you won't see coming. Told from multiple points of view, Strangers We Know is about more than Ivy learning of her past and, shockingly, the serial killer within her family; it's also about knowing who to trust and how to discern who's telling the complete story. Because if everyone has secrets, are they truly family or only strangers? Read Strangers We Know to find out." --Georgina Cross, bestselling author of The Stepdaughter

"Elle Marr burst onto the suspense scene in 2020 with her bestselling debut, The Missing Sister, and followed up a year later with Lies We Bury, another trust-no-one murder mystery. With her third novel, Strangers We Know, Marr firmly establishes herself as a master of 'did that really just happen?' thrillers. Strangers We Know has plot twists so unexpected and characters so creepy you won't want to turn out the lights, and the ending is surprising in multiple ways. Who knew a deranged-serial-killer whodunit could leave you with all the feels?" --A. H. Kim, author of A Good Family

"Dark family secrets, serial murder, and a cult? Yes, please. Twisty and a little twisted, the highly addictive and surprise-packed Strangers We Know will have you pulling an all-nighter." --Heather Chavez, author of No Bad Deed

"From the first page I was gripped by Strangers We Know and read through the night till the end. The novel is thrilling beyond belief, with suspense and twists ratcheting up on each page. Elle Marr is brilliant at delving into the darkness of a seemingly normal family, and by the time she pulls back the curtains on each character, the terror has built so excruciatingly, you just have to keep going till you find out every single thing--you're afraid to know, but you have to know. This is the year's must read." --Luanne Rice, bestselling author of The Shadow Box

Lies We Bury

"A deep, deep dive into unspeakable memories and their unimaginably shocking legacy." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"The suspenseful plot is matched by the convincing portrayal of the vulnerable Claire, who just wants to lead a normal life. Marr is a writer to watch." --Publishers Weekly

"Marr's #OwnVoices, trust-no-one thriller unravels with horrifying 'THEN' interruptions, producing a jolting creepfest of twisted revenge." --Booklist

"In Lies We Bury, Elle Marr (bestselling author of The Missing Sister) has brought a cleverly plotted and compelling new mystery with unique characters and truly surprising twists." --The Nerd Daily

"A deep, thrilling dive into the painful memories that haunt us and the fight between moving on or digging in and seeking revenge." --Medium

"Elle Marr's second novel tucks a mystery inside a mystery...The big twist near the end is a doozy." --The Oregonian

"A twisted mash-up of Room and a murder mystery, Marr's Lies We Bury is a story that creeps into your bones, a sneaky tale about the danger of secrets and the power the past holds to lead us into a deliciously devious present. Say goodbye to sleep and read it like I did, in one breathless sitting." --Kimberly Belle, international bestselling author of Dear Wife and Stranger in the Lake

"Dark and compelling, Elle Marr has written another atmospheric and twisted thriller that you don't want to miss. Lies We Bury delves into the darkest of pasts and explores the fascinating tension between moving on and revenge. This is a fly-through-the-pages thriller." --Vanessa Lillie, Amazon bestselling author of Little Voices and For the Best

"This haunting and emotional thriller will keep you up at night looking for answers." --Dea Poirier, international bestselling author of Next Girl to Die

"A clever, twisty murder mystery packed full of secrets and lies that will keep you turning the pages way past bedtime. Lies We Bury hooked me from page one and kept me guessing until its dramatic conclusion." --Lisa Gray, bestselling author of Thin Air

The Missing Sister

"Marr's debut novel follows a San Diego medical student to, around, and ultimately beneath Paris in search of the twin sister she'd been drifting away from. Notable for its exploration of the uncanny bonds twins share and the killer's memorably macabre motive." --Kirkus Reviews

"[A] gritty debut...The intriguing premise, along with a few twists, lend this psychological thriller some weight." --Publishers Weekly

"Elle Marr's first novel has an intriguing premise...The characters are well drawn and complex, and Marr's prose offers some surprising twists." --New York Journal of Books

"A promising plotline." --Library Journal

"The Missing Sister is a very promising debut--atmospheric, gripping, and set in Paris. In other words, the perfect ingredients for a satisfying result." --Criminal Element

"Brimming with eerie mystery and hair-raising details...A chilling read that shows the unique bond of twins." --Woman's World

"This thrilling debut novel from Elle Marr is a look into the importance of identity and the strength of sisterhood." --Brooklyn Digest

"An electrifying thriller. A must read--Karin Slaughter with a touch of international flair. Just when you think you have it all figured out, Marr throws you for another loop and the roller-coaster ride continues!" --Matt Farrell, Washington Post bestselling author of What Have You Done

"A riveting, fast-paced thriller. Elle Marr hooks you from the start, taking you on a dark and twisted journey. Layered beneath the mystery of a twin's disappearance is a nuanced, and at times disturbing, exploration of the ties that bind sisters together. With crisp prose, a gripping investigation, and a compelling protagonist, The Missing Sister is not to be missed." --Brianna Labuskes, Washington Post bestselling author of Girls of Glass

"A gripping thriller. The Missing Sister delivers twists and turns in an exciting, page-turning read that delves into the unique bond that makes--and breaks--siblings." --Mike Chen, author of Here and Now and Then