Once upon a time, I was a New York Times bestselling author. My debut novel, a historical YA novel called Lottie Mae, had been a major success. Then my mom got sick, and nothing else mattered except taking care of her. Four years later, she died. And I was struggling. I know she’d hate to see me this way. But I was trying. One of the things I’d learned in my grief counseling group was to count the small steps. Today’s small step was grocery shopping because my fridge was bare and my cupboards were filled with expired canned goods.
I was in the produce section, having just bagged up some peaches, when I was suddenly knocked sideways. The peaches went flying and my purse slid off my shoulder; the contents spilled onto the floor and nearly me too when a strong hand grabbed my arm to steady me.
“I am so sorry. Are you okay? Here. Let me help you.” The man instantly knelt to pick up the items that had fallen out of my purse, and I quickly bent down to help him. “I am such an idiot. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No. I’m…fine.” We both stood, and when I got a good look I him, I was instantly flustered.
At well over six feet, the man who’d almost knocked me to the ground had glowing brown skin and was muscular enough to be noticeable through his clothes without being cartoonish. He wore a long-sleeved black crew-neck shirt and tan slacks with black loafers. He was clean-shaven and his close-cropped brown hair was greying at the temples. He smelled amazing and looked to be in his early to mid-forties. He also looked familiar.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Ms….?”
“Ambrose. Taylor Ambrose.”
“I’m Troy Bellows. And again, I’m so sorry, Taylor.”
That’s when it finally clicked. Troy Bellows, the former football player. I knew he lived in Weatherly. But I’d had never seen him until now. TV hadn’t done him justice.
“And again, I’m fine, Mr. Bellows.” I slung my purse back over my shoulder, giving him an awkward smile.
“It’s Troy and at least let me help you pick out some more peaches.”
I started to protest, but he’d already turned back to the pile of peaches. He looked at a couple squeezing each one and frowning before giving me a sheepish look. “This is more of a science than I thought.” We both laughed.
“Yeah, it took me ten minutes to find three that weren’t hard as rocks or five minutes away from being rotten.”
“Well, I guess there’s only one thing left for me to do.”
“What’s that?”
“Take you out to dinner. Are you free tomorrow night?”
His grin was so disarming, and I’d felt dead inside for so long it was good to laugh and smile again. Plus, it was just one dinner. I returned his smile and replied.
“Yes.”
THE SILENT SISTER
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release: August 2026
Format: Print, Digital
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A gripping, twisty psychological thriller about the stranger you let into your home –perfect for fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl, and The Last Mrs. Parrish.
A nurse. A sister. A friend?
When an accident killed her husband, Taylor Ambrose lost everything else with him. The house was his, and now it’s being sold out from under her. The money’s gone. Her memory of that day is gone too. She has no family, no savings, and no one to call.
Then Valerie arrives. Warm, capable, impossible to refuse. She says she’s the sister Troy never mentioned, and she’s a nurse—so when Taylor can barely walk, can barely cope, Valerie is there. She helps her pack. She finds her somewhere to stay. She takes care of her. Day by day, Valerie becomes the only person Taylor can lean on.
Then the cracks start to show. The questions Valerie won’t answer. The rooms Taylor isn’t allowed to enter. A past that doesn’t quite add up.
Because Valerie knows things about Taylor’s husband. About the day of the accident. And about the secret Taylor has tried to forget.
Valerie isn’t the only one with something to hide.
About the author
Angela Henry (angelahenry.com) is an Internationally bestselling and award-winning author of twisty mysteries, thrillers, and urban fantasy. She’s the author of the Kendra Clayton mystery series and the Xavier Knight urban-fantasy series, as well as the standalone thrillers The Perfect Affair, Her Pretty Lies, The Family Lies, Nobody Heard A Thing, The Silent Sister and The Paris Secret. Angela lives in Ohio with her husband and their spoiled Chiweenie rescue, Gidget.