“Young journalist Violet Maris tells a daring lie that launches her on a collision course with the truth about herself. ‘You just can’t trust a writer,’ Violet says. Trust Diane Wald to write a beautifully unsparing, rollickingly funny, tender story about fact and fiction, love and art, set in the creative hub of 1980s Provincetown. A great read you won’t want to put down.”

—Philip Bennett, former managing editor, “The Washington Post”

“‘The Bayrose Files’ is a gem of a book, taking us into the creative and complex world of an art colony, seen through the eyes of an impostor. The characters, story, structure, language, setting, and pacing are brilliant. The moral lessons are gentle, human foibles forgivable. I devoured it in a single sitting and remain in awe of Diane Wald's imagination.”

—Romalyn Tilghman, author of “To the Stars Through Difficulties”

“I gulped down ‘The Bayrose Files’ in one sitting. What starts as a simple story of deception unspools into a tale of grief, love, and complicated regret. In prose that crackles, Diane Wald crafts a marvelous storyteller in Violet Maris. Violet is sharp, endearing, and deeply human. It was a pleasure to follow her every bad decision. Violet—and Wald—kept me guessing until the last page.”

—Miriam Gershow, author of “Closer” and “Survival Tips: Stories”

“For Violet Maris, the temperature varies in inanimate objects. This is her guide in The Home, a prestigious artist colony in Provincetown where, as a journalist, she poses as a fiction writer in order to write an exposé. Following the relative heat of things, she navigates the death of a dear friend, a love affair with a board member, and her own deceit. Of course, there is a reckoning, but it is not what she expects, in this metaphysical and gripping story where the pages seem to turn by themselves. What will touch her now?”

   —William C. Dell, author of “Home Alone in the Multiverse”

“In ‘The Bayrose Files,’ Diane Wald’s quirky narrator spins a strange story as oddly poignant as its setting: an artists’ community in early 80’s Provincetown. The moody, seductive atmosphere of this town and that time offers a fitting backdrop for this tale of betrayal and imposture. Violet Maris, named for the sea, tells a story of shifting currents, fogs of betrayal, emotional shipwreck, and ultimate confession. Wald’s story is smart and moving, a search for lost time and a reckoning with ghosts.”

—Cynthia Huntington, author of “The Salt House” and “Heavenly Bodies”

“With sympathy and warmth, vividness and keen humor, Diane Wald chronicles Violet’s painful and belated coming of age, while bringing to life a raucous, randy, dedicated cast of artists and writers. Long after ‘The Bayrose Files’ ends, you will find Violet living on in your imagination: her ambitions, regrets, losses, and conscience pangs are keenly relatable, as is her journey toward authenticity, accountability, and living up to her heart’s potential.”

 —Karen Holmberg, author of “The Collagist” 

“In spare and evocative prose, ‘The Bayrose Files’ chronicles the coming-of-age of a misguided young journalist who goes under false pretenses to an artists’ residency in off-season 1980s Provincetown. Diane Wald draws a compelling portrait of a complicated young woman forced to grapple with the cost of her ambition and the inevitability of regret. I thoroughly enjoyed this refreshingly unsentimental novel.”

—Karen Dukess, author of “The Last Book Party”

“I read this little gem all at once, pulled in quickly by its eccentric and somewhat morally-challenged characters who are so relatable and so perfectly imperfect. The entire tale is based on a lie told by Violet Maris (an unsuspecting imposter who lives temporarily at an alluring artist colony for a writing fellowship), and watching the repercussions of her dishonesty unfold made me chuckle, wince, and worry right up the very last sentence.”

—Chris McClain Johnson, author of “Three Guesses”

“Diane Wald's concise narrative and character-driven plot make this novel a joy. With a colorful combination of humor, romance, drama, and intrigue, the pages of ‘The Bayrose Files’ fly past effortlessly. I finished the book in a single sitting and enjoyed every moment….The dialogue is witty, and all the character interactions feel organic. I love how Wald makes Violet such a dynamic and layered character in a few pages….I highly recommend this book.”

—Readers’ Favorite, 5 stars

“‘The Bayrose Files’ explores the tension in a young and highly ambitious writer who will do anything to make her dream come true…. Themes of creativity and self-exploration are cleverly developed…. [T]his deftly written and balanced narrative will engage readers from the beginning to the very last page, thanks to the gorgeous and descriptive prose.”

—The Book Commentary, 5 stars

“‘The Bayrose Files’ is an alluring novel about creativity, lies, loss, and authenticity.”

—Midwest Book Review

“Provincetown’s setting comes to life with its seaside, bohemian vibes and vibrant energy… A powerful exploration of artistic ambition, deception, and redemption.”

—Kirkus Reviews