Valley of the Moms

“Unsettling, heart-pounding, and full of rich characters and deep betrayals, Valley of the Moms will have you turning pages late into the night, and questioning how much you can really know about the women in your life.”—Daria Lavelle, author of Aftertaste

“Sleek, smart, and deliciously unnerving—Valley of the Moms peels back the glamorous veneer of privilege and perfection, exposing the dangerous illusion of having it all.”—Kelsey Cox, bestselling author of Party of Liars

"This thriller leans hard into the domestic drama of suburban mom life...[and] will
appeal to readers who appreciate a detailed suburban setting, complicated female friendships, and deliberate pacing."—Booklist

“Keenly observed, Valley of the Moms is a tense and twisty dive into the toxic power dynamics of wealthy suburbia, where ‘good’ zip codes mask petty grudges, unspoken rules, and corrosive secrets. Selinger's multidimensional characters and deft use of dual timelines reeled me in and kept me guessing until the very end.” —K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did

“Frighteningly realistic and deeply unhinged.”

—People

“Is there anything better than a dark thriller about suburban moms with secrets? In Hannah Selinger's beautifully written debut, a dead body is found in the frozen Ipswich River, a grieving husband becomes the prime suspect, and a cutthroat cadre of moms closes ranks. Featuring complex characters and a thrilling satiric bite, Valley of the Moms kept me turning pages all night.”—Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters

“In terms of sheer soapy drama … this delivers the goods. It’s an entertaining diversion.” —Publishers Weekly

"What would happen if the Heathers weren't killed off? Or the Plastics didn't have a redemption arc? . . . If you're looking for your next summer read, this is it. This twisty, suburban drama is reminiscent of Liane Moriarty's 'Big Little Lies,' Celeste Ng's 'Little Fires Everywhere' and Kiley Reid's 'Such a Fun Age,' and is a refreshing take on schism happening within the American middle class."—Jennifer Huberdeau, Features Editor at Berkshire Eagle

"Recommended for fans of novels full of secrets, lies, betrayal, and bread-crumb clues to how well-dressed, rich, mean mothers can behave badly."—Library Journal

"[Valley of the Moms is] shaping up to be the standout beach read of the summer."

—Parade

"In this gimlet-eyed, detailed thriller, the story of how one woman in town, Anna Plummer, chafes at the rules that seem to govern Hamilton, is juxtaposed with that of her husband after her body shows up in the river."

—Town & Country

"[An] engrossing suburban thriller...Selinger uses dueling timelines to brilliant effect. How Anna’s battle with her neighborhood parents’ group and Denny navigating the aftermath of her death are tethered doesn’t fully compute until a staggering third-act reveal that had our jaw dropping. The deceit baked into the couple’s picturesque surroundings becomes more pronounced as the story unfolds. Valley of the Moms holds no illusions about how middle-class suburbia really works—and that makes it indelibly unsettling."

—Apple Books