Cruel Beautiful World: A Novel

“A seductive page-turner that ripples with an undercurrent of suspense.” —The Boston Globe

“A seamless triumph of storytelling.” —Gail Godwin, author of Flora

Leavitt’s new novel, Days of Wonder, is coming April 23, 2024. Pre-order now!

It’s 1969, and sixteen-year-old Lucy is about to run away with a much older man to live off the grid in rural Pennsylvania, a rash act that will have frightening repercussions for both her and her older sister, Charlotte. As Lucy’s default caretaker for most of their lives, Charlotte has always been burdened by having to be the responsible one, but never more so than when Lucy’s dream of a rural paradise turns into a nightmare.

With precise, haunting prose and indelible characters, Cruel Beautiful World examines the infinitesimal distance between seduction and love, loyalty and duty, and most of all, tells a universal story of sisterhood and the complicated legacy of family.

“Absorbing.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Captivating.”—Los Angeles Times

“Engrossing.” —People

“Page-turning suspense.” —New York Journal of Books

“Riveting.” —Marie Claire

“Marvelous.”—The National Book Review

“Hauntingly brilliant.” —Coastal Living

“Gripping and suspenseful.” —BookPage

“Moving.” —The Washington Post