Hush Little Fire: A Novel
Secrets implode and generations of lies boil over into deadly consequences when a suspicious fire breaks out Christmas Night on Cape Cod.

This enthralling debut novel of abortion, adoption, and long-buried truths will captivate readers who loved Lessons in Chemistry and Where the Crawdads Sing.


When Mary Newcombe dutifully returns to Cape Cod with her twelve-year-old son to celebrate Christmas with her adoptive mother, Birdie, the only part of the trip she looks forward to is digging beach clay for pottery to stoke her beloved kiln. But while she’s home, a suspicious fire destroys the town health clinic, and Mary becomes a leading suspect.

Mary can’t remember the night of the fire (too much eggnog) and, as always, her mother isn’t talking. Birdie has kept secrets from Mary her entire life, beginning with the truth about Mary’s birth mother. When Mary discovers her adoptive father socked away a small fortune performing pre-Roe v. Wade illegal abortions in the clinic that burned to the ground, she’s done with being kept in the dark. As the days tick by and pressures mount to find the arsonist, Mary digs deeper into Wellfleet’s history, and more secrets start to unfurl.

Meanwhile, Mary’s cousin Jimmy is acting strangely and suddenly, so is her son. As the FBI zeros in on Mary, and another fire burns in the harbor, it's time for Mary and Birdie to face a long brewing reckoning.

A cross-generational mystery told through the perspectives of four women living on the underbelly of Cape Cod, Hush Little Fire is the perfect read for fans of Bonnie Garmus, Dennis Lehane, and Adrienne Brodeur.
1145837806
Hush Little Fire: A Novel
Secrets implode and generations of lies boil over into deadly consequences when a suspicious fire breaks out Christmas Night on Cape Cod.

This enthralling debut novel of abortion, adoption, and long-buried truths will captivate readers who loved Lessons in Chemistry and Where the Crawdads Sing.


When Mary Newcombe dutifully returns to Cape Cod with her twelve-year-old son to celebrate Christmas with her adoptive mother, Birdie, the only part of the trip she looks forward to is digging beach clay for pottery to stoke her beloved kiln. But while she’s home, a suspicious fire destroys the town health clinic, and Mary becomes a leading suspect.

Mary can’t remember the night of the fire (too much eggnog) and, as always, her mother isn’t talking. Birdie has kept secrets from Mary her entire life, beginning with the truth about Mary’s birth mother. When Mary discovers her adoptive father socked away a small fortune performing pre-Roe v. Wade illegal abortions in the clinic that burned to the ground, she’s done with being kept in the dark. As the days tick by and pressures mount to find the arsonist, Mary digs deeper into Wellfleet’s history, and more secrets start to unfurl.

Meanwhile, Mary’s cousin Jimmy is acting strangely and suddenly, so is her son. As the FBI zeros in on Mary, and another fire burns in the harbor, it's time for Mary and Birdie to face a long brewing reckoning.

A cross-generational mystery told through the perspectives of four women living on the underbelly of Cape Cod, Hush Little Fire is the perfect read for fans of Bonnie Garmus, Dennis Lehane, and Adrienne Brodeur.
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Hush Little Fire: A Novel

Hush Little Fire: A Novel

by Judith Newcomb Stiles
Hush Little Fire: A Novel

Hush Little Fire: A Novel

by Judith Newcomb Stiles

Hardcover

$29.99 
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Overview

Secrets implode and generations of lies boil over into deadly consequences when a suspicious fire breaks out Christmas Night on Cape Cod.

This enthralling debut novel of abortion, adoption, and long-buried truths will captivate readers who loved Lessons in Chemistry and Where the Crawdads Sing.


When Mary Newcombe dutifully returns to Cape Cod with her twelve-year-old son to celebrate Christmas with her adoptive mother, Birdie, the only part of the trip she looks forward to is digging beach clay for pottery to stoke her beloved kiln. But while she’s home, a suspicious fire destroys the town health clinic, and Mary becomes a leading suspect.

Mary can’t remember the night of the fire (too much eggnog) and, as always, her mother isn’t talking. Birdie has kept secrets from Mary her entire life, beginning with the truth about Mary’s birth mother. When Mary discovers her adoptive father socked away a small fortune performing pre-Roe v. Wade illegal abortions in the clinic that burned to the ground, she’s done with being kept in the dark. As the days tick by and pressures mount to find the arsonist, Mary digs deeper into Wellfleet’s history, and more secrets start to unfurl.

Meanwhile, Mary’s cousin Jimmy is acting strangely and suddenly, so is her son. As the FBI zeros in on Mary, and another fire burns in the harbor, it's time for Mary and Birdie to face a long brewing reckoning.

A cross-generational mystery told through the perspectives of four women living on the underbelly of Cape Cod, Hush Little Fire is the perfect read for fans of Bonnie Garmus, Dennis Lehane, and Adrienne Brodeur.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9798892420303
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date: 05/20/2025
Pages: 320
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

From her Cape Cod studio, Judith Newcomb Stiles creates original ceramics inspired by the textures and vibrant colors of the seashore. While she waits for her pots to dry, she writes essays, fiction, and news articles for the Italian publication Ytali Global, covering all things American. Her short stories and literary essays can be found in Europa Quotidiano, Hemingway Shorts, The Ex-Puritan, and The New York Times. Stiles lives in the Wellfleet house where her great grandmother was born, but the ghosts are benevolent and rarely bother anyone. She commutes thirty steps to her pottery studio and three blocks to The Newcomb Hollow Shop & Gallery for good gossip, tasty chocolate, and the pottery and jewelry she cooks up in her studio for sale. She lives with her partner in crime, Mr. O’Hara, who helps clean up the house when their 3 kids, Julia, Jane, and Johnny come to visit.
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