The Fire

From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Women comes a powerful novel of contemporary America. Set in our own deeply divided time, The Fire is an exploration of the bonds between women and the transformative power of finding one's voice.

Merritt Locke is a woman you've seen before. A faithful wife, a devoted mother, a generous daughter.

But every woman has a line that once crossed, changes her forever.

Betrayed by those she trusts and thrust into the pitiless glare of the public spotlight, Merritt will break the one rule everyone in her life is counting on her to uphold. In the aftermath, she embarks on an impulsive cross-country journey to reconnect with her estranged daughter, and along the way, meets – and joins forces – with women who are as familiar as they are unforgettable.

An epic novel that reckons with the history we are all living through, The Fire is an anthem to those who feel invisible and forgotten and a rallying cry for women of every age to stand together to be seen . . . and heard.

© 2027 Macmillan (Audiobook): 9781035071548

Release date

Audiobook: 4 May 2027