The Ones We Love - by Anna Snoekstra (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Meet the Jansen family... Since the morning after the party - the one Liv can't remember, the one that left her covered in bruises - there's been a padlock on the door of her bedroom. Her parents said they found mold and it needs to be decontaminated, but they're acting strangely. Her friend Leilani isn't answering her texts, so maybe Liv did get a little out of control that night. Sharing a room with her brother Cas for a while isn't the end of the world, as long as he doesn't tell their parents that she's started sleepwalking. They're already worried enough. Janus brought his family from Australia to LA to chase his dream of turning his bestselling novel into a screenplay. Yeah, money is tight, but he's sure this rewrite is the one. He knows he let his wife down with the Liv situation, and he can't let her down again. Kay wasn't sure she wanted to be a mother when she got pregnant with Liv, but she gave up everything for her daughter and then her son, Casper, as well. She'll do whatever she has to do to take care of her kids. Her marriage, though, is a different story. And the neighbors - well, they'll just have to be more careful. All Cas wanted was to go home for the summer - to Australia, his real home. But his parents are making him stay in LA, AND he has to share a room with his sister. Mold? He doesn't believe it. Since Cas's plans were ruined, he might as well find out the truth about the padlock. And whatever it is that no one is telling him"--

Book Synopsis

Can they survive what's behind the padlocked door?

Since the weekend of the party--the one twenty-two-year-old Liv can't remember, the one that left her covered in bruises--she's been locked out of her bedroom by a padlock. Her parents are behaving oddly and her best friend won't respond to her texts. Maybe she really was out of control that night?

Meanwhile Liv's father, Janus, is not sure he can do what is necessary to keep this secret hidden. He brought his family from Australia to Los Angeles to chase his dream of seeing his novel on the big screen, and he can't let them down. Not again.

Kay gave up everything when she had Liv and Casper. So now she'll do whatever she has to do to take care of them. Her marriage, though, is a different story. And the neighbors--well, she'll just have to be more careful.

Casper, the youngest, was away that weekend, but he knows something isn't right. His parents don't look each other in the eye anymore. His father's hands tremble for no reason. And where does Liv keep disappearing to in the middle of the night? Casper decides to find out what no one will tell him about that weekend. What lies behind the padlocked door?

Review Quotes

"The Ones We Love is a thriller that's so much more than a page-turner -- although it's certainly that, too! This is a book that's about the meaning of family, and the bonds that connect us even as we drift apart. Anna Snoekstra has written a gripping and emotional story that's full of surprises." --Janelle Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear and What Kind of Paradise

"Slow, creeping dread. Hot, listless LA. A story about the things we can't say to people closest to us. Anna Snoekstra's The Ones We Love will make your spine tingle in the best way." --Hayley Scrivenor, internationally bestselling author of Dirt Town and Girl Falling

"Artfully tense and unsettling, The Ones We Love explores family crises, survival strategies and the difference between our public and most private behaviors. A guaranteed page-turner with heart and depth." --Anna Downes, bestselling author of The Safe Place and Red River Road

"A gripping exploration of family secrets and the veneer of a perfect family, The Ones We Love is a moving and unforgettable read that will stay with you." --J.P. Pomare, #1 internationally bestselling author of In The Clearing and The Last Guests

"The Ones We Love is a raw examination of family, with page-turning twists and memorable characters. What more could you want?" --Christian White, internationally bestselling author of The Wife and the Widow and The Ledge

"Perfect prose, pacing and plot. An absolute page turner which I couldn't put down." --Aoife Clifford, award-winning author of It Takes A Town

"Shocking and enthralling from the first page to the last! The Ones We Love oozes tension with every ominous chapter. Anna Snoekstra deftly portrays a family gripped by uncertainty and desperation." --Ashley Kalagian Blunt, #1 internationally bestselling author of Dark Mode

About the Author

Anna Snoekstra is the author of Only Daughter, Little Secrets and The Spite Game. Her novels have been published in over twenty countries and sixteen languages. She has written for many publications including The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Crime Reads and is a profile writer for The Saturday Paper. In 2023 she released her first audio drama This Isn't Happening. Follow her author journey on Instagram @snoekstra.