Available Formats
Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter: A Novel
By (Author) Samantha Crewson
Crooked Lane Books
Crooked Lane Books
20th May 2025
22nd April 2025
United States
Hardback
320
Width 139mm, Height 209mm
567g
A woman with a violent past gets a chance at redemption in this upmarket suspense debut, perfect for fans of Lisa Taddeo and Tiffany McDaniel. A woman with a violent past gets a chance at redemption in this upmarket suspense debut, perfect for fans of Lisa Taddeo and Tiffany McDaniel. Thirteen years ago, Providence Byrd threw the family car in reverse and ran over her mother. Even though her mother survived, that single instant of teenage madness made Providence a felon and irrevocably altered her life. When her mother disappears years later under suspicious circumstances, Providence tells herself that returning home is her chance to find closure after a prolonged estrangement from her family. Never mind that this is only half of the truth- she's also returning to finally confront her abusive father, Tom Byrd. Nothing can stamp out Providence's certainty that he is guilty of whatever terrible thing has happened to her mother. As the search unfolds, Providence is haunted by the wounds of her past, none of which cut as deep as the distance between her and her younger sisters. Harmony and Grace are both uniquely scarred by her attempted matricide, and both have their own idea of what reconciliations might look like - if reconciling is even possible. Harmony urges Providence to make their father pay for his sins; Grace begs her to end the cycle of violence that has haunted their family for generations. As her thirst for vengeance collides with her desire to heal her relationships with her sisters, Providence must decide which she values more- revenge or redemption. Sharp and poignant, Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter is a stunning novel that eschews picture-perfect endings and dares to tell a story about a resilient queer woman and her relentless determination to persevere.
Praise for Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter:
An evocative coming-of-age mystery that will stay with you long after the final page.
Katherine Greene, author of The Woods Are Waiting and The Lake of Lost Girls
Samantha Crewson graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a degree in political science. A proud queer woman, she currently resides in California's Inland Empire with her partner and their many cats.