The Narrow - by Kate Alice Marshall (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Everyone has heard the story of the Narrow. The river that runs behind the Atwood School is only a few feet across and seemingly placid, but beneath the surface, the waters are deep and vicious. It's said that no one who has fallen in has ever survived. Eden White knows that isn't true. Six years ago, she saw Delphine Fournier fall into the Narrow--and live. Delphine now lives in careful isolation, sealed off from the world. Even a single drop of unpurified water could be deadly to her, and no one but Eden has any idea why. Eden has never told anyone what she saw or spoken to Delphine since, but now, unable to cover her tuition, she has to make a deal: her expenses will be paid in return for serving as a live-in companion to Delphine. Eden finds herself drawn to the strange and mysterious girl, and the two of them begin to unravel each other's secrets. Then Eden discovers what happened to the last girl who lived with Delphine: she was found half-drowned on dry land. Suddenly Eden is waking up to wet footprints tracking to the end of her bed, the sound of rain on the windows when the skies are clear, and a ghostly silhouette in her doorway. Something is haunting Delphine--and now it's coming for Eden, too"--

Book Synopsis

A deliciously terrifying novel about a ghost who uncovers a teen girl's best kept secrets while haunting her boarding school, perfect for fans of Lost in the Never Woods and The Haunting of Bly Manor.

A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST OF THE YEAR
A KIRKUS BEST OF THE YEAR

Everyone has heard the story of the Narrow. The river that runs behind the Atwood School is only a few feet across and seemingly placid, but beneath the surface, the waters are deep and vicious. It's said that no one who has fallen in has ever survived.

Eden White knows that isn't true. Six years ago, she saw Delphine Fournier fall into the Narrow--and live.

Delphine now lives in careful isolation, sealed off from the world. Even a single drop of unpurified water could be deadly to her, and no one but Eden has any idea why. Eden has never told anyone what she saw or spoken to Delphine since, but now, unable to cover her tuition, she has to make a deal: her expenses will be paid in return for serving as a live-in companion to Delphine.

Eden finds herself drawn to the strange and mysterious girl, and the two of them begin to unravel each other's secrets. Then Eden discovers what happened to the last girl who lived with Delphine: she was found half-drowned on dry land. Suddenly Eden is waking up to wet footprints tracking to the end of her bed, the sound of rain on the windows when the skies are clear, and a ghostly silhouette in her doorway. Something is haunting Delphine--and now it's coming for Eden, too.

Review Quotes

Raves for The Narrow

★ "Ghosts, secrets, lies, and loyalty.... Haunting."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Impossible to put down."--BCCB, starred review

"With its carefully cultivated atmosphere of dread and uncertainty, this is a solid page-turner with several twists along the way to a bittersweet ending. A great choice for anyone who likes scary tales with strong romantic subplots."--Booklist

"In this serpentine horror mystery, Marshall (These Fleeting Shadows) intertwines gothic ambiance and swoony romance while exploring hefty issues of abuse and manipulation set against a terrifying ghost story."--Publishers Weekly

"Kate Alice Marshall has crafted a tautly plotted and emotionally sophisticated story which combines spooky fantastical elements with a more grounded examination of human relationships in all their flawed glory."--The Nerd Daily

"An excellent sapphic dark academia with gothic vibes and plenty of suffocatingly suspenseful moments."--SLJ

About the Author

Kate Alice Marshall started writing before she could hold a pen properly, and never stopped. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with a chaotic menagerie of pets and family members, and ventures out in the summer to kayak and camp along Puget Sound. She is the author of the young adult novels I Am Still Alive, Rules for Vanishing, Our Last Echoes, and These Fleeting Shadows, as well as the middle grade novels Thirteens, Brackenbeast, and Glassheart. Visit her online at katemarshallbooks.com.