The Act of Disappearing

"An exquisite exploration of motherhood and madness and the cost of withholding the truth from generation to generation. Gower's characters are bursting with life, and the sly way he unravels the mystery at the heart of the story is sure to surprise. Hauntingly beautiful."

-Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

"The Act of Disappearing is a perfectly calibrated balance of propulsive suspense and elegant prose, resulting in a complex and beautifully written debut. The novel introduces readers to compelling characters and conjures different time periods and places so vividly that they will feel the real world is falling away as they disappear into its pages."

-Silas House, author of Lark Ascending

"The Act of Disappearing broods on identity, small-town secrets, multigenerational legacies, and the claims we have to our own and others' stories. Indelible, charismatic characters-Julia White and Kate Fairchild chief among them-propel Nathan Gower's intricately plotted cold-case mystery. A beautifully imagined, splendid debut."

-K. L. Cook, author of Marrying Kind

"Nathan Gower's The Act of Disappearing masterfully alternates two suspenseful storylines that will keep you up turning pages straight to the stunning end. This is a remarkable debut!"

-Jessica Anya Blau, author of Mary Jane

"Nathan Gower takes us to the most intimate spaces of his characters' lives, with the rich prose, tolerance, and page-turning realism of a young John Steinbeck."

-Simon Van Booy, author of Night Came with Many Stars

"This is a saga of a small-town girl, dutiful and kind-perhaps more than most-whose life is made unbearable by what are now nearly by-gone mores. Whatever the current standards oppressing those who are finding their own way, The Act of Disappearing stills a moment of time with all the poignancy of a Shakespearian tragedy."

-Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife

"In tightly woven dual timelines, Nathan Gower conjures a complex mother/daughter plot that spans decades and geographies, yet one reality abides: even the most hallowed institutions and time-honored scripts will limit and even deform women's lives. In Gower's vision, however, and in the mystery this novel unfolds, women can vault beyond the destinies written for them. This is a book of hard-biting realism and tender mercies. A triumph for its writer."

-Elaine Neil Orr, author of Swimming Between Worlds

"The Act of Disappearing is a riveting read. The characters-from both timelines-haunted me and made it difficult to do anything else until I learned their full, true stories. Full of secrets and yearnings, this book examines many different kinds of inheritance and connection. Gower's writing is gorgeous and the plot adeptly woven with unexpected twists. This is a fantastic debut, and I'm already eager for what he writes next."

-Katrina Kittle, author of Morning in This Broken World

"Nathan Gower takes readers on a mesmerizing journey through time and emotional turmoil in The Act of Disappearing, a poignant story that blends history and personal struggle. Gower's skillful storytelling keeps readers engaged and invested in Julia's journey as well as the characters from the past. With each turn of the page, the characters became more real, their struggles and hopes more palpable. This novel is thought-provoking and beautifully written. I found myself both satisfied and saddened when I got to the final page. Gower's voice is one that we did not know we were waiting for, but now that it is here, we will all be waiting with bated breath for his next work of fiction."

-Angela Jackson-Brown, author of When Stars Rain Down