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Trigger Warning
A new novel about the enduring trauma of police brutality by the award-winning author of Mother Country
She’d gotten no trigger warning. And her entire life, she wanted to scream now, had deserved a trigger warning.
Early in life, Ruth survived a series of devastating events: Her little brother died from a childhood illness, her mother died of grief, and then her father was shot by the police right in front of their home. In the years following her father’s murder, Ruth pushes her past underground. She changes her name and moves to Kentucky, marries a man named Myron, and together they raise a kid. It’s been two decades, and she is, by outside measures, living a good life—but why doesn’t it feel good? When her marriage comes to a sudden end, their house burns down in the middle of the night, and she learns that her estranged sister has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Ruth is jolted back into action. She flees again, this time back to her home state of California, with her nonbinary teenager in tow, perhaps ready at last to face her pain and retrieve her former self.
Searing, surprisingly witty, and deeply human, Trigger Warning is a novel about the durational aftermath of anti-Black police violence. Through the perspectives of Ruth and Myron, and those of their friends and their child, Townsend explores divorce and desire, the heartbreaking brevity of parenting, the push and pull of old friendships, and the possibility, after incredible trauma, of reconnecting to what makes us feel alive.
She’d gotten no trigger warning. And her entire life, she wanted to scream now, had deserved a trigger warning.
Early in life, Ruth survived a series of devastating events: Her little brother died from a childhood illness, her mother died of grief, and then her father was shot by the police right in front of their home. In the years following her father’s murder, Ruth pushes her past underground. She changes her name and moves to Kentucky, marries a man named Myron, and together they raise a kid. It’s been two decades, and she is, by outside measures, living a good life—but why doesn’t it feel good? When her marriage comes to a sudden end, their house burns down in the middle of the night, and she learns that her estranged sister has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Ruth is jolted back into action. She flees again, this time back to her home state of California, with her nonbinary teenager in tow, perhaps ready at last to face her pain and retrieve her former self.
Searing, surprisingly witty, and deeply human, Trigger Warning is a novel about the durational aftermath of anti-Black police violence. Through the perspectives of Ruth and Myron, and those of their friends and their child, Townsend explores divorce and desire, the heartbreaking brevity of parenting, the push and pull of old friendships, and the possibility, after incredible trauma, of reconnecting to what makes us feel alive.
360 pages, Paperback
Published September 16, 2025
15 people are currently reading
4074 people want to read
About the author
Jacinda Townsend
8 books98 followersJacinda Townsend grew up in Southcentral Kentucky. She studied at Harvard University and Duke University Law School before receiving her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Since receiving her MFA she has been a Fulbright fellow to Côte d’Ivoire, a Carol Houck Smith fiction fellow at the University of Wisconsin, and a Hurston-Wright Award finalist. She lives in Bloomington, Indiana and teaches creative writing at Indiana University.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews
October 18, 2025
By the time Ruth graduated high school, she had already lost three close family members: her little brother, to illness; her mother, to a sudden medical event; and her father, to a traumatic police shooting. So when it’s time to go to university, she cuts nearly all ties to her past—including her relationship with her big sister. The new Ruth, living on the other side of the country, has a new last name, a new backstory, and no siblings.
But running from trauma never lasts. Decades later, now a mom in her late forties, Ruth’s marriage has crumbled and she’s fighting over custody of her kid, Enix. She gets word that her sister now has MS, and decides it’s time to reestablish contact. So she grabs Enix and hits the open road, finally heading home. And her ex-husband must face the fact that he never knew the real Ruth.
This was a really interesting look at the way people are shaped by trauma. Ruth is a sometimes unlikeable character, and not in the trendy “unhinged, morally grey woman” way. Rather, her actions are those of someone who dealt with unspeakable things at a young age and has never healed or really let anyone else in. The interpersonal dynamics in this book —between Ruth and her best friend, her husband, her child—all show what it’s like to be this person who hasn’t processed their feelings about the most meaningful thing that ever happened to them.
This is a serious read with moments of tension-breaking humour. I would for sure recommend it to lit fic fans.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me access to an eARC!
But running from trauma never lasts. Decades later, now a mom in her late forties, Ruth’s marriage has crumbled and she’s fighting over custody of her kid, Enix. She gets word that her sister now has MS, and decides it’s time to reestablish contact. So she grabs Enix and hits the open road, finally heading home. And her ex-husband must face the fact that he never knew the real Ruth.
This was a really interesting look at the way people are shaped by trauma. Ruth is a sometimes unlikeable character, and not in the trendy “unhinged, morally grey woman” way. Rather, her actions are those of someone who dealt with unspeakable things at a young age and has never healed or really let anyone else in. The interpersonal dynamics in this book —between Ruth and her best friend, her husband, her child—all show what it’s like to be this person who hasn’t processed their feelings about the most meaningful thing that ever happened to them.
This is a serious read with moments of tension-breaking humour. I would for sure recommend it to lit fic fans.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me access to an eARC!
December 14, 2025
Final Review:
I really wanted to know what a story with this title would be like. I'm glad I took the chance, even if it didn't work out for me.
I didn't like the audiobook narrator here. I felt she over-inflicted, lilting upward on almost every sentence. This was distracting for me.
My Favorite Things:
✔️ This story starts out with a character who disparages trigger warnings and thinks people suffering from PTSD are fragile. But these ideas were delivered with such force, I thought the narrating character might change in this mindset, so I stuck it out. *edit I didn't get what I hoped. The ableism is just ableism.
✔️ I like the way the themes come together -- violence, trauma, and divorce intersect often.
Content Notes: ableist language, internalized ableism, racism, institutional racism, police shooting, murder, corruption, divorce,
Thank you to Jacinda Townsend, Highbridge, and NetGalley for an advance audio copy of TRIGGER WARNING. All views are mine.
I really wanted to know what a story with this title would be like. I'm glad I took the chance, even if it didn't work out for me.
I didn't like the audiobook narrator here. I felt she over-inflicted, lilting upward on almost every sentence. This was distracting for me.
My Favorite Things:
✔️ This story starts out with a character who disparages trigger warnings and thinks people suffering from PTSD are fragile. But these ideas were delivered with such force, I thought the narrating character might change in this mindset, so I stuck it out. *edit I didn't get what I hoped. The ableism is just ableism.
✔️ I like the way the themes come together -- violence, trauma, and divorce intersect often.
Content Notes: ableist language, internalized ableism, racism, institutional racism, police shooting, murder, corruption, divorce,
Thank you to Jacinda Townsend, Highbridge, and NetGalley for an advance audio copy of TRIGGER WARNING. All views are mine.
July 6, 2025
Feels similar to All Fours in that it’s a midlife coming of age story, they also both involve road trips - the meat of both books is quite different though. In Trigger Warning we get multiple povs but I would say our main character is Ruth, a woman who’s going through a divorce while also trying to grieve from her childhood. Ruth’s been lying to everyone in her life about the circumstances of her childhood and it all catches up with her once they start to go through a divorce. It’s a book about family, motherhood, family history, and much more. Thanks to Graywolf for sending me this advanced copy and I’m looking forward to the pub date on September 16th.
July 11, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 10/10 novel with a focus on how police brutality can traumatize you. I was a huge fan of Ruth’s calendar. Not only has she been through so much in childhood but the hits keep on coming when she tries to start anew and ends up dealing with an ending marriage and another tragedy.
The way Ruth chooses to face her demons head on is inspiring. The themes in this book are timelessly relatable and it really hits home right now in this country. A most relatable read, this will open up your eyes.
The way Ruth chooses to face her demons head on is inspiring. The themes in this book are timelessly relatable and it really hits home right now in this country. A most relatable read, this will open up your eyes.
November 28, 2025
Unfortunately I’m a little bit of an outlier in my opinion of the book, so you’ll probably find that other reviewers have rated it a lot higher than myself.
The intent of the subject matter is hard hitting and it should have really kept me invested, sadly it was all a bit heavy for me and because of that it dragged a bit. The writing is solid and the narration was excellent I just found it all a bit much. Just a personal opinion.
I’m grateful to HighBridge audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
The intent of the subject matter is hard hitting and it should have really kept me invested, sadly it was all a bit heavy for me and because of that it dragged a bit. The writing is solid and the narration was excellent I just found it all a bit much. Just a personal opinion.
I’m grateful to HighBridge audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
December 9, 2025
Trigger Warning is a searing and deeply human novel that explores the long-lasting impact of violence and the complex ways trauma echoes through generations. From the very beginning, the story establishes an emotional resonance, as we meet Ruth—a woman whose childhood was marked by unimaginable loss. After her little brother succumbs to illness, her mother is consumed by grief, and her father is killed by police right outside their home, Ruth’s early life is shaped by tragedy upon tragedy.
Unable to bear the weight of her past, Ruth attempts to reinvent herself. She changes her name, starts over in Kentucky, marries Myron, and raises a child. Despite two decades of apparent stability and outward success, Ruth remains haunted by a sense of emptiness and unresolved pain. Townsend skillfully depicts how the trauma Ruth tried to bury continues to shape her life in subtle, persistent ways.
The novel’s momentum picks up as Ruth’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel—her marriage ends abruptly, her house is destroyed by fire, and her estranged sister is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Forced to confront her past, Ruth returns to California, bringing her nonbinary teenager along. It’s in this new chapter, as she faces both her own pain and her family’s struggles, that Ruth is finally pushed toward healing and self-acceptance.
Townsend’s writing is powerful and nuanced, seamlessly blending heartbreak with flashes of wit and hope. By offering perspectives not only from Ruth and Myron, but also from their friends and child, the novel paints a rich, multifaceted portrait of family, friendship, and the search for meaning after trauma. Themes of divorce, desire, the bittersweet experience of parenting, and the enduring bonds of friendship are handled with both tenderness and honesty.
Trigger Warning is an affecting, beautifully written exploration of what it means to survive, to adapt, and ultimately to reclaim what makes us feel alive. It’s a story that lingers long after the final page, offering both empathy and insight into the complexities of healing in the aftermath of profound loss. The narration was superb.
Thank you, NetGalley, Highbridge Audio, and Jacinda Townsend for this ARC audiobook. I highly recommend it.
Unable to bear the weight of her past, Ruth attempts to reinvent herself. She changes her name, starts over in Kentucky, marries Myron, and raises a child. Despite two decades of apparent stability and outward success, Ruth remains haunted by a sense of emptiness and unresolved pain. Townsend skillfully depicts how the trauma Ruth tried to bury continues to shape her life in subtle, persistent ways.
The novel’s momentum picks up as Ruth’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel—her marriage ends abruptly, her house is destroyed by fire, and her estranged sister is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Forced to confront her past, Ruth returns to California, bringing her nonbinary teenager along. It’s in this new chapter, as she faces both her own pain and her family’s struggles, that Ruth is finally pushed toward healing and self-acceptance.
Townsend’s writing is powerful and nuanced, seamlessly blending heartbreak with flashes of wit and hope. By offering perspectives not only from Ruth and Myron, but also from their friends and child, the novel paints a rich, multifaceted portrait of family, friendship, and the search for meaning after trauma. Themes of divorce, desire, the bittersweet experience of parenting, and the enduring bonds of friendship are handled with both tenderness and honesty.
Trigger Warning is an affecting, beautifully written exploration of what it means to survive, to adapt, and ultimately to reclaim what makes us feel alive. It’s a story that lingers long after the final page, offering both empathy and insight into the complexities of healing in the aftermath of profound loss. The narration was superb.
Thank you, NetGalley, Highbridge Audio, and Jacinda Townsend for this ARC audiobook. I highly recommend it.
December 3, 2025
Trigger Warning is a book about so many things grief, survival, identity, and the way unresolved trauma can shape who you are, especially later in life. Ruth, the central character, was completely dynamic to me. She lost so much early on her brother, her father to police brutality, and the fragile stability of her family. By the time she reaches her 40s, she’s faced with new layers of trauma: divorce, death, and the echoes of her past resurfacing in ways she can’t ignore.
What struck me most is how Townsend shows that the people closest to you may not fully see or understand your pain unless they themselves are triggered by something else. Ruth’s journey is about carrying invisible weight, and the audiobook makes that weight audible.
✨ Themes that resonated:
- 🌀 Unresolved trauma — how it lingers, resurfaces, and reshapes identity across decades.
- 💔 Family and loss — Ruth’s relationships with her sister and her child, Enix, who is nonbinary, add tenderness and complexity.
- ⚖️ Social commentary — police brutality, systemic injustice, and the silence that survival sometimes demands.
- 🌿 Moments of reprieve — romance and humor woven in, offering breath between the heaviness.
- 👥 Multiple POVs — the shifting perspectives deepen the story, showing how trauma reverberates across lives and generations.
This was not an easy listen, but it felt necessary. Townsend balances the pain with humanity, and for readers of literary fiction, this is a deeply rewarding experience even if it may not be for everyone. Ruth eventually faces her demons, and that reckoning makes the story feel both devastating and dynamic.
🎙️ Narration Note: Adenrele Ojo delivers a performance that elevates the entire book. She embodies Ruth and the surrounding cast with such passion that, although it’s a single-narrator audiobook, it feels like a full ensemble. Artfully done, deeply alive, and unforgettable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) — for its emotional depth, dynamic narration, and the way it lingers long after the last chapter.
I received an advanced audiobook copy for free in exchange for a honest review. All opinions stated are my own and are left voluntarily.
What struck me most is how Townsend shows that the people closest to you may not fully see or understand your pain unless they themselves are triggered by something else. Ruth’s journey is about carrying invisible weight, and the audiobook makes that weight audible.
✨ Themes that resonated:
- 🌀 Unresolved trauma — how it lingers, resurfaces, and reshapes identity across decades.
- 💔 Family and loss — Ruth’s relationships with her sister and her child, Enix, who is nonbinary, add tenderness and complexity.
- ⚖️ Social commentary — police brutality, systemic injustice, and the silence that survival sometimes demands.
- 🌿 Moments of reprieve — romance and humor woven in, offering breath between the heaviness.
- 👥 Multiple POVs — the shifting perspectives deepen the story, showing how trauma reverberates across lives and generations.
This was not an easy listen, but it felt necessary. Townsend balances the pain with humanity, and for readers of literary fiction, this is a deeply rewarding experience even if it may not be for everyone. Ruth eventually faces her demons, and that reckoning makes the story feel both devastating and dynamic.
🎙️ Narration Note: Adenrele Ojo delivers a performance that elevates the entire book. She embodies Ruth and the surrounding cast with such passion that, although it’s a single-narrator audiobook, it feels like a full ensemble. Artfully done, deeply alive, and unforgettable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) — for its emotional depth, dynamic narration, and the way it lingers long after the last chapter.
I received an advanced audiobook copy for free in exchange for a honest review. All opinions stated are my own and are left voluntarily.
December 9, 2025
I really enjoyed this one and it stayed with me for a bit. In this narrative, Townsend digs into how long-buried memories shape a person’s choices, relationships, and sense of self. The MC isn’t written to be polished or charming. I think she’s complicated in a way that feels honest. Watching her navigate middle age while still wrestling with the weight of what happened to her years ago makes the book hit harder, but also more relatable.
What really works is how the author balances heaviness with sharp observations and unexpected humor. The shifting perspectives give the story more texture, making the MC character ARC feel more real. If you’re into character-driven fiction that isn’t afraid to sit with messy truths, this one’s absolutely worth picking up.
I had an ALC for this one and the narrator did an excellent job at bringing the story to life. Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge, Highbridge Audio for the ALC.
What really works is how the author balances heaviness with sharp observations and unexpected humor. The shifting perspectives give the story more texture, making the MC character ARC feel more real. If you’re into character-driven fiction that isn’t afraid to sit with messy truths, this one’s absolutely worth picking up.
I had an ALC for this one and the narrator did an excellent job at bringing the story to life. Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge, Highbridge Audio for the ALC.
December 18, 2025
This book follows a cast of characters; Ruth- a mother and soon to be divorcee, she decides to visit her sister after hearing of her devastating diagnosis. However, Ruth isn't who she says she is and has a past full of tragic events. Myron - Ruth's ex and a man rediscovering himself, Antony (a man child) and Clarisse (Ruth's friend from the past dealing with heavy things). This was a really tough read with discussions of racism, childhood illness, family relationships, obsession and etc. I really enjoyed how the author explored the characters exceptions vs. reality, inability to move on from their past and parents dealing with raising gender nonconforming kids. Overall, a good read and would recommend especially for bookclubs as there is a lot to sink your teeth into. In addition, this audiobook is well narrated by Adenrele Ojo.
Disclaimer: I received this audiobook from NetGalley and HighBridge | Highbridge Audio in exchange for a free and honest review.
Disclaimer: I received this audiobook from NetGalley and HighBridge | Highbridge Audio in exchange for a free and honest review.
December 20, 2025
I just didn’t care about any of these characters or their midlife crises.
I really struggled to get through this one. I turned off the audiobook about 15% in, eventually came back to it, and honestly shouldn’t have.
I also didn’t care for the narrator. It felt like she over-enunciated every other word and often emphasized the wrong word in a sentence, which was distracting.
I didn’t find any of the characters likable, nor did I feel connected to any of them. The main character, Ruth, is particularly unlikable, and I don’t think her trauma excuses her behavior.
Overall, I found this book very slow, despite the heavy subject matter. After seeing other reviews, I think this one just wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the advanced listening copy.
I really struggled to get through this one. I turned off the audiobook about 15% in, eventually came back to it, and honestly shouldn’t have.
I also didn’t care for the narrator. It felt like she over-enunciated every other word and often emphasized the wrong word in a sentence, which was distracting.
I didn’t find any of the characters likable, nor did I feel connected to any of them. The main character, Ruth, is particularly unlikable, and I don’t think her trauma excuses her behavior.
Overall, I found this book very slow, despite the heavy subject matter. After seeing other reviews, I think this one just wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the advanced listening copy.
December 10, 2025
Adenrele Ojo is an amazing narrator. She did an amazing job of bringing this story alive. This is a story of tragedy. Ruth experienced so much grief in her life that she tried her best to ignore it until it all hit a wall. This is the story of the wall.
I loved this book, it shows just how differently everyone deals with grief. I love they change of POVs to show tragedy in each different character's life and how they dealt compared to the massive things that have happened to Ruth and her attempt to disassociate from it.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an emotional read.
The audiobook was graciously shared with me in advance by Highbridge audio.
I loved this book, it shows just how differently everyone deals with grief. I love they change of POVs to show tragedy in each different character's life and how they dealt compared to the massive things that have happened to Ruth and her attempt to disassociate from it.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an emotional read.
The audiobook was graciously shared with me in advance by Highbridge audio.
December 11, 2025
DNF at 70% :( I wanted to love this book; maybe the paper version would have been better for me, but the time jumps and memories completely lost me. I tried, rewinding over and over, but I'm still lost. It tackles important subjects that need to be talked about,and I was grateful for the representation of a non-binary person.
Thank you, Netgalley and Highbridge Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Thank you, Netgalley and Highbridge Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 30, 2025
I loved this book. As I read it, I was fighting with myself, one part wanting to read every chance I got, the other wanting to wait so it wouldn’t have to end. I feel like I know the characters, as if they’re part of my life. It’s in part a reflection on grief and how it impacts us. I want to read it again.
December 15, 2025
*Trigger Warning* is one of those books that quietly pulls you in and stays with you. Jacinda Townsend does a great job exploring race, power, and relationships in a way that feels honest and thoughtful, not forced. The characters feel real, and the tension builds in subtle but meaningful ways. Definitely a book that makes you pause and think after you finish.
August 31, 2025
I was incredibly fortunate to have been given an ARC of this book from Gray Wolf Press. Words cannot express how much I enjoyed this book. The subject matters are not light fare, but the author's portrayal of these wonderfully flawed characters is nothing short of incredible.
October 3, 2025
Townsend has written another heart-stopper. This book is as brilliant as it is timely, raising crucial questions of both parenting and political violence that will leave you thinking deeply for a long time after.
November 28, 2025
Gorgeous rendering of a family in crisis. Ruth and Myron are flawed, deeply complex, and never not hilarious. I’ll also be thinking about Enix any time I think of how people write children. Just such a great book.
December 7, 2025
This audiobook wasn’t an easy listen, but it was powerful. Ruth’s story is raw, messy, and painfully human—a deep look at how unhealed trauma shapes every part of a life. Heavy at times, surprisingly funny at others, and absolutely worth the listen. 💚
October 1, 2025
I absolutely loved this book
October 13, 2025
I found a lot to like and learn from in the approach, blending a lot of wisdom about generational, trauma, together with every day, feelings and interactions.
didn-t-finish
November 30, 2025I got to 50% which is usually my threshold to just power through, but I just can’t get into this.
December 14, 2025
So many journeys, both metaphorical and real, rolled up into one.
December 17, 2025
Ruth is really going through it in the books, she’s proof that grief demands to be felt. Parts of her story were really heartbreaking and the character was dynamic.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews