Tightwire

by Amy Kaufman Burk

Tightwire, the second novel from author Amy Kaufman Burk (Hollywood High: Achieve The Honorable), follows the determined and multifaceted Caroline Black into her rookie year as a psychology intern. Her first patient, Collier Z. Tratner, is stormy, seductive, complex and brilliant. Tightwire tracks one year of their therapy, as Caroline helps Collier confront a troubled past filled with secrets that haunt him. Watching Collier grow motivates Caroline to learn from her own mistakes and confront her own troubled past. Through their commitment to working together, Caroline and Collier deeply influence each other.

Tightwire explores the empowerment of healthy sex and sexuality, and the complicated layers of hurtful sex. As Collier gains new perspective, he discovers his own capacity to heal emotionally, including sexually.

In Tightwire, Amy Kaufman Burk continues to explore the LGBTQIA themes of her first novel, Hollywood High: Achieve The Honorable. As Collier builds a new life for himself, he questions his own sexuality. He develops his first close friendship with a man, who is gay. He finds role-model parents in a lesbian couple with two children.

Tightwire is a story of hope and healing.

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2014

About the author

Amy Kaufman Burk grew up in the Hollywood Hills surrounded by creativity. Her father wrote screenplays, and her home was filled with actors, authors and thousands of books. She and her husband met in college at Yale. They have three grown children, and live in North Carolina.

Amy's novel, Hollywood Pride, is based on her experience in tenth grade when she transferred from a college prep academy to Hollywood High School. At her new school, she found 40+ languages spoken among the students, kids from all over the world, and an economic spectrum ranging from students living on the streets to the wealthy homes in the hills. Being a part of Hollywood High's diverse community shaped Amy's outlook on all aspects of her life going forward.

Hollywood Pride was selected for the 2025 Miami Book Fair.

Reviews

[Marissa Rejana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book my freshman year of college and it was an interesting dynamic to see the mind inside the therapist figuring out her patient, as well as her own psychological battles from multiple therapy sessions. This book made me think really hard and learn to analyze better as a student. I learned from the author who is a psychologist herself that much of what happened in Tightwire was considered "transference." This happens when the patient superimposes their feelings onto the therapist, and can later gain a new understanding of their emotions when they fully experience those problem from their past. Interesting read, and found myself reading outside the "required reading pages" for the class.

[Gello]

To me the characters and plot were not believable, the writing was self-conscious, and I wouldn't think teens and young adults would like this book. But perhaps I'm wrong, since the only reviews on Goodreads have been very positive.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book is especially rewarding for psychotherapists (like me) or for anyone who has benefited from psychotherapy.
The protagonist, Caroline Black, is a therapist in her first year of clinical training and the book alternates symmetrically between scenes with Caroline's first patient, her supervisor, and key vignettes from her childhood.
In the scenes with her patient, Colin, we enter the world of a troubled, appealing, young man who is struggling to make his way in the world and cope with the effects of an unconventional and traumatic childhood. In the short vignettes with the supervisor, we learn how generous support and wisdom make psychotherapy training possible.
The scenes of Caroline's childhood are a glimpse into the underbelly of the L.A. film industry and illustrate how Caroline's exquisite interpersonal sensitivities make her vulnerable to the pain and problems of those around her.
Amy Kaufman Burk is an eloquent, economical writer and her story flows forward in gifted dialogue exchanges. Every chapter ends with an unexpected twist, an insight, a modest revelation that rewards the reader. The somewhat stylized pattern of the book is as enjoyable as the content. I highly recommend this book.

[Mary Carde · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a clinical psychologist myself, I can attest to Tightwire being a realistic window into what transpires in therapy as well as what's going on in the mind of a therapist, especially a therapist at the very beginning of her career. Beautifully interwoven are the lives of the patient, as it unfolds in the course of therapy, but also that of the therapist and how the therapist's personal experience plays into reactions to and interventions w/ the patient. It's also a plain old great read - almost like a mystery in terms of what makes this patient tick, uncovering why he thinks, feels, and interacts the way he does - and the evolution of his thinking, feeling, and behavior as the therapy progresses. It's also interesting to learn more about Caroline Black, the therapist, and the protagonist from Amy's first novel, Hollywood High: Achieve the Honorable. Both are terrific reads and both sensitively deal w/ timely issues, from cultural pressures on females to those of the LGBTA community.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really Nice Character Development

The lead story here is the life of a first-year practicing psychologist Caroline. But the story that steals the show for me is the unfolding of Caroline's life story. Amy Kaufman Burke does a great job here, with my favorite voices and character revelations coming out in some letters written among Caroline and a few friends.