The Amateur

by Chris Bohjalian

When a young woman, a golf prodigy, kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs and predatory men, and suddenly a teenager is on trial in this spellbinding novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant.

1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a golf ball from her tee toward the practice net near the clubhouse and caddy shack. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, traveling 150 miles per hour, and slams, with sickening force, into the temple of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, rupturing an artery and unleashing a torrent of blood. Kenny brings his hand to the side of his head, then topples onto his side. He’s dead before the ambulance even arrives.

In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man three decades her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when the investigators look more closely at the torn net, when a detective recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once-promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a county courtroom, The Amateur What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Historical

319 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 26 books. His new novel, THE AMATEUR, arrives on August 4, 2026. He writes literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His goal is never to write the same book twice. He has published somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.7 million words.

His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.

He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.

His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.

His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.

Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.

He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.

Reviews

[Dawn H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never in my life did I think I would love a book about an unlikable teenage golfer but I was completely wrong. This book is fantastic! The author has created a story about a spoiled girl from a wealthy family and the reader actually cares deeply about her.

Mira, an 18 year old golf prodigy, drives practice balls at the country club she has played golf at since she was a child. One golf ball goes through the practice net and accidentally strikes a teenage caddy in the head killing him. This tragedy reveals secrets that destroy Mira’s life.

The Amateur is an outstanding, well written, thought provoking novel. One doesn’t need to play golf or even understand the game in order to enjoy this book. Highly recommend to readers everywhere. It’s a winner.

Thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a longtime Chris Bohjalian fan, so it was no surprise that I was instantly hooked with this story of a young woman who accidentally killed a caddy while hitting balls at a golf course. However, two things about this multifaceted story did surprise me. First, that the author was somehow skilled at telling a story centered around a golf prodigy, and that such a story was somehow captivating to a person like myself, who has absolutely no interest (or basic knowledge) in the area of golf. Don’t let the premise or the description of this novel fool you— it is so much more than just a golf story. The reader quickly discovers that the golf course is merely the backdrop for the incident that shapes the story, which already began to unfold before the incident occurred, as Mira grew up in this small and somewhat exclusive community..

The real story lies in the heartbreaking but somehow relatable series of events that the main character, Mira, experiences in her formative years as a young woman who is planning to enter college before her life gets derailed. Which brings me to my second surprise: Chris Bohjalian is somehow incredibly skilled at writing from the voice of a young woman. There is an art to this, as your stereotypical country club brat is not typically the most likable individual. But just like the multi-layered story, there are layers to our protagonist, and the reader quickly discovers that she’s got issues and she’s been taken advantage of and she’s not just an entitled golf star.

As with the best mysteries, we are thrown a shocking turn of events, but not before we begin to understand Mira more deeply. This is a story of suspense, but there are other themes at play through the entirety of the novel, which are difficult to touch on without spoiling some of the best parts. Just know that this is the 70s, and times, they were different.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy crime and suspense fiction works, And if you’re like me and don’t particularly care for golf, don’t let that discourage you from giving this book a chance. It’s so much more than what it may appear. Just like Mira. If you’re like me, it will have you thinking about how a single brief moment in time can completely change one’s life, for good or for bad. And how every action has an equal and opposite reaction,

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel in advance of its publication

[Lydia Hephzibah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

setting: new York
rep: n/a

this is one of those odd times where I take ages to read a book because when I'm reading it I'm loving it, but when I'm not reading it I don't feel much need to pick it up, but then I do and it's great again. I don't know why. but I did really enjoy this one. Mira was a surprisingly well-written protagonist both as a 17-year-old girl and the 50-something woman writing her memoir considering the author is a man, which I usually find icky. he did good though, so I'll let him off! I enjoyed Mira's voice and I do often enjoy a fictional memoir/biography!

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I skimmed some of the reviews, I kept seeing people say that Mira was an unlikeable character, I completely disagree. She went through a lot of bad stuff and is telling her story with candor... not excusing her behavior or playing the victim (though she absolutely is one). To me, that makes her honest, vulnerable, and understandable.

This was my first book by Chris Bohjalian, and while I'm not sure his writing style is for me, that's not going to stop me from picking up another book by him. 4.5 stars rounded up!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the summer of 1978, and Mira Winston is a golf prodigy, soon to head to Yale to play golf, when she hits a ball into a practice net that goes through the net and into the temple of a caddie, killing him. Mira is a complicated character, not very likable, hot tempered, privileged, and sleeping with a much older married man. The novel is written as the memoir of an adult Mira, now an author, and seemingly without a reason to lie. As what at first seems like a freak accident progresses to a search for blame and for accountability, Mira finds herself involved in the civil case against the country club and the net manufacturer, and then accused of manslaughter. Bohjalian skillfully portrays late 1970s attitudes towards women, drinking, and drugs, explores the fault lines of class in the affluent suburb where Mira lives, and the effect of one moment on the lives involved. A propulsive read with a masterly twist. I couldn't put it down

[Michelle San Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never miss a Chris Bohjalian novel, and this one illustrates perfectly why I love his work so much. It is a suspenseful thriller that also explores so many complex themes and delves so deeply into the workings of the main character's mind as she recounts her story to us. We're introduced to Mira as a middle-aged woman who is writing her memoir, dealing with the tragedy that occurred when she was just a teenager, and she hit a golf ball into the head of a teenage caddy, who died almost instantly. Mira's life begins a slow unraveling from that moment on, and the suspense builds, as we learn about some reckless behavior from her past, including a relationship with a much older married man. It's a very intriguing story about how a single moment can change your life trajectory in ways you could never have imagined.

[Craig Elliott Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian has done it again! I never thought golf could be interesting but Chris made it so. Throw in death, a mystery, an unreliable narrator and you've got a hell of a story. Whether Chris is writing historical stories or thrillers, he takes us on an incredible journey. Highly recommend and I hope to see this book in lots of beach totes this Summer. Perfect beach read!

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Chris Bohjalian's work for close to two decades and I can confidently say that The Amateur is probably my favorite as of yet - set in a posh area of Westchester in the late 70s, I loved reading this story about a talented female golfer and how that gets washed away in the face of tragedy.

Thank you to Knopf for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. This absolutely wrecked me. 🥹 It wasn’t the kind of book that had me racing to the end—it made me slow down and sit with everything these characters were going through.

When 18-year-old golf prodigy Mira Winston’s stray golf ball accidentally kills 17-year-old caddy Kenny Foster, she’s suddenly vilified for a tragedy she never intended. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the accident is only the beginning. Long-buried secrets, abuse, privilege, and the adults who failed these kids all come to light making it impossible to see anyone as simply innocent or guilty.

What hit me hardest was how Chris Bohjalian explored the ripple effects of that one tragic moment. This wasn’t just about the accident—it was about grief, guilt, forgiveness, and the devastating consequences of the choices people made long before that day on the golf course. Every chapter seemed to reveal another layer, and my heart broke for both Mira and Kenny in completely different ways. Emotional, thought-provoking, and another unforgettable read from one of my favorite authors. ❤️ Pub. 8/4/26

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for kindly approving an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Gary Parkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian never writes the same book twice and I love that! He can write all genres so eloquently, relatably, and with great respect for the reader. This is more than simply a legal thriller, a family drama, a coming-of-age story, a peek at life in the 1970’s but it is all that and so much more. It is a slow burn in some ways and a riveting page-turner in other ways with just the right twists and turns. The candor among the characters, along with the humor is welcome and appreciated. I highly recommend this novel but you will be hard-pressed to label it solely in one genre!

[Caitlin Rydberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgalley advanced review

I am going to start off saying I am a big fan of this author. But even I am surprised he made me believe the book was written by a female. It is not by any means the first book of his from a female POV. But the first time he made me forget it was his words.

Mira Winston is not an easily understood or likable main character. She’s complex and completely unpredictable. She is a teenage girl who makes horrible choices.

Yet the entire time you find yourself rooting for her. This is not a typical coming of age story. I even have a hard time saying you could characterize this book as such. However you do see her grow and develop as a person coming into adulthood.

Chris Bohjalian as always holds back nothing from his book. Please check triggers. As always he fills you with hope and dread at the same time. The story is a legal thriller with a wonderful Legally Blonde type twist. But there’s also real dialogue about mental health and gender/working classes in the 1970’s or lack there of. Please take care of yourself.

As always I’m looking forward to having a copy on my shelf.

[chloe - crimewithchlo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

this was such a unique story! i can honestly say i’ve never read anything like it.

first of all, i loved mira. she felt so real to me. the way she thought, reacted, & spiraled, reminded me so much of myself in high school. chris bohjalian absolutely nailed her voice. i think he did a really great job writing from a teenage female POV, which isn’t always easy to pull off. overall it held my attention and felt fresh.

the entire premise hinges on one horribly unfortunate golf ball accident, and the fallout from that moment is what really drives the story. it’s less about the swing itself and more about reputation, blame, and how fast a young woman can become the center of scrutiny.

huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jeanie ~ Fables.and.fur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author and narrator were a perfect team. Mira feels so real and Melora Hardin portrays her beautifully in the audiobook production.

This is my favorite Chris Bohjalian since Midwives. The story is tragic and impossible to look away from. Although Mira is a privileged and sometimes unlikable character, she’s a reminder of how unfairly people can be persecuted based solely on the judgement of others.

[Don Kyser · Rating 4 out of 5]

So really a 3.5 but I’m going to give Chris Bohjalian the benefit of the doubt and round up. The writing is very sharp and quick but I just didn’t find it very engaging until close to the end - especially the epilogue.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can't go wrong with a Chris Bohjalian novel. I have read all but two of them and liked every one, loved most. His latest, THE AMATEUR, is no exception, although it is one of the few that I didn't love.

I have found over the years that better writers do not resort to an abundance of sex or the F word. So at first this novel turned me off. It was full of sex and the F word, so unlike Bohjalian. But I understand now his intention: he was establishing the character of the story's narrator.

THE AMATEUR is written as if this is Mira's memoir. As a teenager she was a golf prodigy and often golfed with a team of grown men (and was the highest scorer). In her memoir, she establishes right away that she was not a good girl; she was attracted to much older men, had sex with them since she was 15 years old, did lots of drugs, and used the F word in many of her sentences.

Mira is now an established and widely read author of novels. (And it sounds like Bohjalian is giving her credit for some of his own novels, although I'd like to know more about a novel he mentions called MORAL COMPASS.) Now that she is in her 60s, she says, she is finally ready to write a memoir and admit to two things she has felt guilty about her whole life: she killed a caddy and she broke up a family (her words).

In 1978 Mira was 18. She was at her family's country club one day putting golf balls into a net. A 17-year-old caddy just happened to be walking in front of the net when one of her golf balls sailed right through it, hitting him in the head and killing him. Although, of course, this was not Mira's fault, she felt like she killed him for the rest of her life. For a while there, so did the police and the DA.

Plus, Mira's attraction to older men got her in some trouble. But it actually wasn't as bad as it might've been if her parents and the law were aware that her current affair had been going on since she was 15 years old. What made her feel bad, though, was that a wife and two children lost a husband and father as a result. Mira continued finding older but unmarried men to sleep with.

Read this for the criminal trial and the surprise ending.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, as is always the case, I was absolutely blown away by Bohjalian’s writing- the novel is timely, thrilling, and heartbreaking, a perfect , may I say, hole in one.

Mira Wilson is on the cusp of adulthood during the summer of 1978, a golf prodigy headed towards Yale, and by all accounts, destined towards greatness. All of that promise vanishes instantly however, with one errant swing of a club, which sends a golf ball traveling at great speed towards a net, and unfortunately, through a small hole, allowing it to crash into the head of a golf caddy, Kenny Foster, killing him almost instantly.

Mira who has always been a bit of a hometown hero, is instantly turned into a villain overnight, when an affair with an older man comes to light, and when questions start to be raised about whether or not she is responsible for the caddy’s death. Quickly Mira’s world collapses, and she gives up Yale, gives up golf, and gives up on herself, instead turning towards drugs and more bad choices.

Chris Bohjalian writes the entire story as a memoir told through the now middle-aged, author, Mira’s eyes and he does so with such heartbreaking honesty, it is impossible to ever once remember this is a story written by a man. This may be at surface level a story about a golf accident, but it’s more importantly a story about predatory men, the ripple effect guilt has on one’s life, and the privilege that an affluent life provides.

Mira is an imperfect narrator, she’s young, naive, and definitely privileged, but she’s been treated so poorly by so many of the adults around her, you can’t help but cheer for her.

My favorite parts of the story are all the little Easter eggs the author deposits throughout in reference to his other books, especially The Double Bind, my absolute favorite of his previous works.

Read this book now if you love thrillers with heart, that are deep, life changing, and great discussion starters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, Chris Bohjalian, and the publisher, Doubleday, for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Alecia (aleciareadsitall) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One morning at the local country club, a prodigal teen golfer drives a ball that kills her classmate, a caddy at the club. The incident, which at first appears to just be a horrible accident, causes an investigation that unearths secrets, lies, and brings to light much more sinister happenings with the girl and those around her.

Wowowow WHAT A BOOK. It delivers on all levels. The audio is narrated by Melora Hardin, who does a phenomenal job exacerbating the drama of the story.

While initially I thought this was going to be a “rich people behaving badly” story, The Amateur turned into this incredible narrative on taking advantage of girls, the failings of the criminal justice system, and many other plot points which I do not wish to spoil.

The story is written as if it is a memoir of the eighteen year old girl, now in her 50s. It’s hard to believe that the author is a man, and I think that’s partially due to Hardin’s perfect narration. The author, Bohjalian has a lot to say about corrupt rich folks and inappropriate men, and although our main character repeatedly refers to herself as unlikable, I didn’t feel that way at all about her. She was an incredibly strong fmc that was wronged over and over again.

There are a lot of heavy content-related triggers such as suicide, suicidal ideation, death, mention of rape, drug use, and a few others I’m probably missing. Check TW for sure.

This is a standout for me this month, and I’ll be talking and thinking about it for a while.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian has done it again.

I've been reading his books for nearly two decades, and I think The Amateur may be my favorite yet.

Never in a million years did I think I'd become completely invested in the life of an eighteen-year-old golf prodigy. I don't play golf. I don't watch golf. I barely understand golf. And yet I couldn't stop listening.

When Mira Winston accidentally kills a teenage caddy with a stray golf ball, it seems like the story will revolve around this one tragic accident. It doesn't. That moment is only the beginning. What unfolds is a layered story about privilege, abuse, grief, justice, and the adults who fail the very people they're supposed to protect.

What impressed me most was Mira herself. On paper, she shouldn't be an easy character to root for. She's wealthy, self-involved, and fully admits she's not always likable. But Bohjalian peels back those layers so skillfully that I found myself caring deeply about what happened to her.

I listened to the audiobook, and Melora Hardin was outstanding. Her narration captured Mira's voice so naturally that I genuinely forgot I was listening to a story written by a male author.

This isn't an easy read, but it's an unforgettable one. Bohjalian has always had a way of taking one shocking event and revealing the complicated human story underneath it. I think he may have outdone himself with this one.

Thank you to @prhaudio, @NetGalley, and @Doubledaybooks for the advanced listener and reader copys.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris is one of my favorite authors and this was my FIRST time receiving an ARC of one of his novels - SO exciting! So many thanks to NetGalley & Doubleday!!

This book was a RIDE. One thing that I appreciate and find remarkable about Chris is that he truly never writes the same novel twice. He is a master at switching genres and you just never know what to expect when you read one. I don’t think I was fully prepared for this!

This book is a novel, written as a memoir, about Mira who as a teen was an amateur golfer who accidentally (?) kills a caddy at her country club. It is grown-up Mira’s recollections about the incident, the aftermath, subsequent trial, and alllll the salacious details of her adolescence.

This book, in my opinion, was Chris completely no holds barred. It took me a little bit to get into the novel because I was taken aback at the format (creative but took some settling into) and the voice/language (crass!). It’s funny because the mention of “trigger warning” complaints later in the novel made me laugh out loud and feel convicted! There are definitely heavy, uncomfortable, and adult themes in this which at times rubbed me the wrong way - which is the point I am sure! I loved the tension and mystery, especially the court room scenes which were suspenseful. Once I hit about halfway I had trouble putting the book down! And I loveddddd the ending!!

I’m sad I wasn’t able to catch Chris on his book tour, despite being pretty local (my NH to his VT) I have, unfortunately, never seen him! Someday!!! The Amateur was published yesterday, 8/4.

[Michelle Herzing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian is such a wonderful writer I am always thrilled to see his latest novel on the shelves. The Amateur is perfect for golf fans with elements reminiscent of Caddyshack (without the humor), and it delves into a touch of legal thriller and even a bit of Lolita. Overall, it was a compelling read. The mystery of how an up-and-coming golfer happened to hit a golf ball through the practice net to strike a caddy in the temple may not sound like the most edge-of-your-seat thriller, but in Bohjalian's hands it makes for a great story.

Mira Winston is a fairly unlikable character, with her penchant for older men, self-aggrandizing manner, and substance abuse issues. Even so, over the course of the novel the reader begins to root for her as we see, through her first person narration, that she is a relatively good person after all. The willingness of the community to vilify her and exonerate others simply because she was known for a bit of 'wild' behavior struck me as pretty typical of the country club atmosphere and our society in general. I especially enjoyed the narration from a point well into the future, as the book is written by Mira's future self as her memoir.

As a mystery/thriller the tension is mild, and the resolution is satisfying and, for me at least, unforeseen.

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the digital ARC of The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian’s The Amateur is a brilliant, dark, and exceptionally sharp piece of psychological suspense that frames class privilege and late-1970s suburban dysfunction with absolute clinical precision. Written as a piercing fictional memoir looking back at a single, catastrophic teenage error, it stands as a propulsive, masterfully twisted character study that pulls you entirely under its spell. It is a thrumming, flawless addition to his bibliography that grips you by the throat and holds its tension tight until the final sentence.

The Hook
An eighteen-year-old golf prodigy clocks a routine practice ball that rips through a country club driving net, killing a high school caddy instantly—and triggering a relentless, razor-sharp downward spiral that turns a tragic accident into a full-scale legal and psychological war.

Elevator Pitch
It is the first Thursday of August in 1978 when Mira Winston strikes a golf ball that tears through a microscopic flaw in an exclusive Westchester country club practice net. Traveling at 150 miles per hour, the ball kills junior caddy Kenny Foster on impact. While the community initially labels it a horrific fluke, the investigation takes a predatory turn as detectives unearth Mira’s private recklessness, her mother's well-kept domestic secrets, and Mira's clandestine, highly illegal affair with a married man thirty years her senior. Facing a relentless civil case and a sudden manslaughter charge, Mira must defend her sanity and survival as her elite suburban world completely turns on her.

Setting
~Time & Place: The blistering, affluent summer of 1978 in an elite, heavily mannered Westchester County suburb.
~Atmosphere: Toxic, insular, and heavily scrutinized—vibrating between the pristine, sun-soaked greens of a tony country club and the fluorescent-lit weight of a county courtroom.

Vibe
A slow-burn, deeply cynical psychological noir dripping with historical atmosphere, sharp class tension, and a dark, creeping sense of social isolation.

Genre
Psychological Suspense Thriller / Historical Legal Noir / Coming-of-Age / Literary Fiction

Themes
~The Fragility of Privilege: How an entire life of inherited wealth, security, and prestige can completely evaporate in a single, 1.6-ounce fraction of a second.
~Predatory Authority and Gaslighting: The chilling vulnerability of a teenage girl navigating manipulative older men and a legal structure looking for accountability.

Standout Characters
~Mira Winston: An extraordinarily complex, sharply intelligent, and unapologetically flawed protagonist whose sardonic, middle-aged memoirist voice unmasks her teenage trauma with absolute candor.
~Theo Catton: The married man three decades Mira's senior whose toxic, clandestine entanglement complicates her defense and heightens the story's predatory danger.
~Kenny Foster: The deceased junior caddy whose shocking death serves as the devastating catalyst exposing the rotten structural core of the entire community.

Author Writing Standout
Bohjalian operates at the absolute peak of his narrative powers here by crafting an incredibly unusual, high-contrast narrative structure. By letting a middle-aged Mira recount her teenage trauma through a fiercely sardonic, reflective memoir lens, he layers the book with extraordinary dual perspectives. His prose is sparse yet razor-sharp, expertly capturing late-1970s social attitudes toward women, drinking, and systemic manipulation with total historical accuracy. Bohjalian builds tension not with flashy action, but through deliberate, masterfully placed foreshadowing that mimics the clinical inevitability of a collapsing legal case.

Takeaway
True ruin isn't merely the sudden, freak accident that shatters a life; it is the immediate hypocrisy of an elite society that eagerly weaponizes a girl's private vulnerabilities the second she threatens their institutional armor.

Title Significance
On its face, The Amateur points directly to Mira's status as a rising, teenage competitive golf prodigy. But beneath the surface, it serves as a biting, ironic commentary on how thoroughly unequipped and amateurish an eighteen-year-old truly is when forced to navigate the predatory manipulations of adult men and the calculating mechanics of a high-stakes criminal court.

Metaphor
The torn practice net functions as the novel's central structural metaphor. A seemingly secure, heavily woven barrier that conceals an invisible flaw, it represents the exact, fragile illusion of safety that shields upper-class suburban families right until a sudden, high-velocity crisis tears completely through it.

Why You Should Read
This is a masterfully executed, intensely dark character study that completely bypasses standard courtroom thriller clichés in favor of a heavy, highly sophisticated psychological investigation into guilt, class accountability, and historical exploitation.

My Thoughts
"A sharp, exceptionally written historical legal thriller. Bohjalian skillfully unmasks the rotten core of an elite country club community when a tragic fluke accident puts a reckless teenage girl at the mercy of a predatory legal battle."

As a 12-year book blogger who reads 30 -40 books a month, keeping track of every new summer drop can be a relentless grind, but a fresh Chris Bohjalian novel is an unmissable destination for me. I can confidently state this is a dazzling, fiercely original addition to his work that completely blew me away. It shares that same exceptional, agonizingly tight framework that made me fall in love with his previous psychological fiction.

The book hits with an immediate structural punch, establishing a tense, creeping dread that makes it impossible to put down. The razor-sharp execution of Mira's adult narrative looking back at her adolescent vulnerability is so flawless and immersive that it completely consumed my schedule. I devoured all 336 pages in a single, uninterrupted, breathless sitting. The closing act delivers such an intricate, devastating legal and psychological payoff that I found myself instantly flipping back to the opening chapters to re-examine the calculated breadcrumbs Bohjalian laid down. It is a stunning 5-star standout that highlights exactly why he remains an essential voice in modern suspense fiction.

Verdict Rating: 5 / 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"The Amateur is a brilliant, uncompromising legal and psychological triumph that easily secures an essential slot on my top shelf of the year—a masterfully dark, historically acute look at privilege and perspective."

Special thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Aug 4, 2026
Aug 2026 Must-Read Books
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Recs or Read Alikes by Chris Bohjalian
~Midwives A tense moral drama about a home birth gone wrong and a community turning on a trusted medical helper.

~The Guest Room: A suspenseful look at a sudden violent event in a suburban home that triggers a massive legal and personal fallout.

~The Double Bind: A psychological mystery featuring a young woman dealing with trauma, memory, and a shocking twist ending.

~Before You Know Kindness: A thought-provoking novel about an accidental shooting that places a family right into a fierce legal spotlight.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up The Amateur thinking I was getting a murder mystery wrapped around a freak golf accident. What I actually got was several hundred pages of wealthy people making increasingly terrible decisions while one traumatized teenager wandered through the wreckage carrying responsibility for approximately everyone's nonsense. And honestly? That's a much more interesting book.

The story opens with eighteen-year-old golf prodigy Mira Winston accidentally killing a teenage caddy when a practice shot punches through a damaged net and hits him in the head. Which is already the kind of premise that makes you stop and say, "Well that's certainly a new fear unlocked." One second she's headed to Yale with her entire future mapped out. The next, a kid is dead, a community is looking for someone to blame, and Mira's life starts unraveling like a sweater caught on a nail.

The thing about Mira is that she's kind of a disaster. Not in the fun murder-mystery way where someone drinks too much wine and accidentally uncovers a conspiracy. No. Mira is the sort of character who makes a decision and you immediately start rubbing your temples because you can see exactly how this is going to go. She's reckless. She's angry. She's carrying enough guilt to sink a yacht. She keeps looking for comfort in places that are actively trying to make her life worse. Watching her spiral is like watching someone repeatedly choose the "absolutely not" dialogue option in a video game.

And then there's Theo. Friends. The amount of self-control it takes to discuss Theo without turning this review into a full criminal investigation is honestly impressive. This man has been involved with Mira since she was fifteen, and every time he appeared on the page I felt like I was watching one of those nature documentaries where a gazelle wanders directly toward the lion while the narrator quietly prepares everyone for what's about to happen. The older I get, the less patience I have for stories where grown men behave badly around teenage girls and everyone shrugs like that's just part of the local weather forecast. The book knows exactly how ugly this dynamic is, which is part of why it works.

What surprised me most was how little this ends up being about golf. Thank God. As someone whose knowledge of golf begins and ends with "people wear polos and seem stressed," I was relieved to discover that the golf course is really just the stage where all the dysfunction gathers for its group photo. The real story is about power, class, reputation, and the way affluent communities can turn into bloodthirsty little gossip factories the second tragedy strikes. Everyone has secrets. Everyone has motives. Everyone suddenly becomes very interested in assigning blame, preferably somewhere that isn't pointing back at themselves.

The mystery itself kept me engaged, but the character work is what carried the book. Mira isn't particularly likable, which I know is a complaint for some readers, but I thought that was kind of the point. She's a teenager. Teenagers are often walking collections of bad instincts and big feelings. Add trauma, public scrutiny, predatory adults, alcohol, privilege, and late-1970s attitudes toward women, and you've basically created the perfect storm. Half the time I wanted to shake her. The other half I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and tell every adult in her life to get a job that doesn't involve interacting with children.

The book is also quietly furious about how easily young women become the designated scapegoat for things they didn't create. Mira spends so much of the story convinced that Kenny's death is some kind of cosmic punishment for her mistakes, and that's where the emotional core really landed for me. Because underneath all the legal drama and mystery plotting is a girl who has been taught to blame herself for absolutely everything. The accident. The affair. The fallout. The shame. All of it.

That's heavy stuff, but Bohjalian keeps the story moving enough that it never feels like it's sitting in its own sadness. There's always another secret creeping out of the woodwork. Another revelation. Another adult making a choice so questionable I had to put the book down and stare into the distance for a minute.

Did the pacing drag a little in places? Sure. Did I completely buy every development? Not always. But I was invested the entire time because I genuinely needed to know how this spectacular mess was going to untangle itself.

The Amateur feels like if Big Little Lies wandered onto a golf course, got hit in the face with generational trauma, and then ended up in court. It's messy, frustrating, surprisingly emotional, and full of people who desperately need therapy instead of another country club membership. Four stars.

Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side-Eye Every Driving Range Like It's a Potential Crime Scene

And thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I came for the murder mystery, stayed for the emotional damage, and somehow spent days caring deeply about golf, which feels like the real plot twist here.

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

One life lost, another irrevocably altered

In the summer of 1978, Mira is a Westchester County teenager on the cusp of big things. She is headed to Yale in the fall, is a formidable golfer who outplays many of the adult men at her wealthy family's golf club, and in short is headed for bigger and better things (maybe even the LPGA) when the unimaginable happens. She is practicing her drive against the club's practice net when one of her balls somehow penetrates the net and strikes Kenny, one of the caddies who has just been called up to accompany a group of golfers, in the head...and just like that, a young man is dead and Mira is the one who killed him. A freak accident which sends ripples into the communitynwhich change the course of not only Mira's and Kenny's families, but others with connections to them, Mira never wants to touch a golf club again and can't handle going to Yale as she struggles with crippling guilt, sure that the tragedy is punishment for questionable choices she has made. As secrets about Mira's life surface, the community which has long admired her turns against her and she increasingly turns to drugs to avoid the train wreck of a life she now leads. Who is to blame for what happened to Kenny? And how will Mira withstand the public vitriol directed at her?
The Amateur is a novel of suspense, written as a "memoir" from the now-adult Mira (who has become a well-known writer whose novels sound pretty much like earlier books by author Chris Bohjalian). Mira is seemingly quite candid about her own foibles, from the affair she was having that fateful summer with a much older married man to the recreational drugs of which she partook and the downward spiral into which she soon fell. She asserts on multiple occasions that she is not an unreliable narrator (but is that true, or doth the lady protest too much? I'm not telling!) In a world before #MeToo and the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal (which, with all due respect to Mr. Bohjalian, I feel is a closer parallel to Mira's scenario than the cited Trump/Stormy Daniels saga...though perhaps the former wasn't as palatable politically speaking), when young people coping with trauma weren't routinely sent for counseling, Mira's crash seems altogether too plausible. Weaving together elements of coming of age tales, courtroom drama, class divides and wealthy entitlement as well as predatory behavior directed against the vulnerable, substance abuse and dysfunctional families, there is a lot going on under the surface in the wealthy NY suburb, all of which work against Mira, who is branded as the wanton villain. As always I am impressed at Mr. Bohjalian's ability to channel so convincingly the voice of a woman...his Mira is a flawed mash-up, a victim who at the same time takes responsibility for her poor choices and whom I found it hard to blame too harshly. It is a character-driven work, a psychological thriller which keeps the reader guessing right up until the end. At times the pacing dragged just a bit, which keeps it from earning 5 ⭐️ from me, but all in all I found it hard to put down as the many emotional layers were peeled back and the search for answers powered forward. Fans of the author as well as readers of Jodi Picoult, Anita Shreve and Wally Lamb will be delighted with this latest offering. My thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review....it has always been a treat to read Mr. Bohjalian's books, and this latest was no exception!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an advance copy of this novel set in the far off days of the 1970's about a young woman, a simple act of play, and what happens next, as things just keep spiraling out of control.

The band Pink Floyd has a song on one of their later albums, some time after this novel takes place in fact with the line, "One slip and down the hole we fall." This slip can happen in many ways. A slip of the tongue. A slip of the hand. Even a slip of a net not doing its job, allowing something to escape that should have been caught. Slips can mess up lives, even end them. Sometimes it is hard to assign blame. Accidents do happen. However emotions to make humans want to have answers. Even if the answers are to punish, what instead should just be forgiven. The Amateur is a novel by Chris Bohjalian about a simple day like so many others, except for the accident that ruins the lives of so many people, a simple slip of fate.

The time is 1978, at a exclusive Westchester county club, full of big money, big egos and lots of people, some with power, and some with secrets. In Mira Winston's case she is all of this and very talented. At the age of 18 Mira is a very talented golfer, with a powerful swing, and a lot of future potential. On this day as the temperature gets close to the nineties, Mira takes a few practice swings, and sets her golf ball flying from the tee, toward the protective net by the caddy shack. Which fails to stop the ball, and hitting a young junior in her high school right in the temple, killing him. Everyone knows this is an accident, a twist of fate some would say. However Mira has a bit of reputation, at least to the detective investigating the accident. Mira tries to find solace, but really has nobody. She has a boyfriend, a married, man thirty years older than her. Mira's father is not a help, seemingly detached for numerous reasons, nor her mother, who has secrets of her own. Things escalate quickly and a simple golf swing turns in the crime of the century, with Mira on trial for not just her swing, but for being who she is.

Chris Bohjalian is a writer who never stays in a lane, constantly creating art that is different than what came last. Family dramas, spy stories, mysteries, historical fiction. Bohjalian has a gift for creating characters, and in this one he really goes all out, and tries something new. The characters in this book are hard to like. Really hard to like. However, Bohjalian still makes one care for where the story is going, and how things are going to end. Bohjalian has really captured a time and a place, a hot day in Westchester, and the people who live in this town. This book pretty much starts quickly, and just keeps going. Bohjalian can balance the different parts of the story, and keeps the narrative interesting, and again, leaving one wanting to know what he has planned. Something I must admit I was not sure of until the book was near the end.

Another great book from an author who really works hard not to be categorized. Bohjalian is one of the few bestselling authors people can say, I have no idea what his next book will be. However, one can be sure that it will be quite good, like this one.

[Caitlin Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for a copy of The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian. I have read several of his novels in the past and they can be a bit hit or miss for me, so I went into The Amateur with an open mind.

We are introduced to Mira Winston, a young promising golf phenom on the cusp of heading off to college and a life full of opportunity. Yet, on one normal afternoon in August, Mira’s golf ball tears through the practice net and strikes a caddy in the head, killing the young man. From this point on, we realize that while golf may have been going so well for Mira, the rest of her life may not be as pulled together as it seems. As the events following the accident unfold, we see how this tragedy destroys Mira’s life, but also the effects on those involved.

To say that there’s a lot to unpack with Mira is putting it mildly. After the massive trauma that is accidentally killing another human, we find that Mira began an affair with a married man in their community when she was just 15 years old. She also has what others may have viewed as impulsive behavior after using a golf club to smash a boy’s car window, albeit with very good reason.

Throughout the proceedings we see how the case unfolds in a court of law, but also in the court of public opinion. Seeing as how the story takes place in 1978, Mira very quickly becomes a social pariah, while lawyers and law enforcement see her as an entitled young woman with no sense of morality. Class and reputation count for so much that Mira is an easy target for others judgements.

Not to say she makes it easy at times. However, it is so important to remember that this is a young woman being faced with trauma and guilt enough to drive anyone over the edge. She attempts to find solace in all the wrong places, yet nothing can stop her cycle of self-flagellation no matter how many people tell her “it’s not your fault”.

I loved that the account is told as a memoir by Mira herself, now an adult and successful author. While younger Mira is an unlikable character, she is also deeply flawed and deeply damaged by the events and their aftermath. Hearing the story in her own words, but with the benefit of time and distance, gave the reader the ability to see and feel the effects of what has happened in a raw way that makes the story so much more human.

I think if the narrator had merely been young Mira while everything was actually happening, it would have been more of a “can’t see the forest for the trees” situation. An outside perspective would also really have taken so much away from he story, I know it wouldn’t have left the impression on me that it did.

I found this story to be incredibly poignant and relevant on so many levels. Pain, guilt, suffering and forgiveness are complicated human emotions that many people are too scared, proud or ashamed to acknowledge. I love that Bohjalian uses Mira’s story as a way to highlight so many important issues: substance abuse, mental health, guilt, societal pressures on women and family trauma. I devoured this in one sitting and have no doubt it will stick with me for a long time to come.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors, and I was very much looking forward to reading his newest novel. As always, the writing is impeccable, and he quickly drew me in to the story, turning pages quickly to see what would happen next. I read it quickly over a period of only three days, but the closer I got to the end, the more the feeling of ambivalence came over me. The Amateur is written in the first person, as a memoir by a female novelist looking back on her past. My ambivalence stemmed from the question of what makes a memoir (a real one, as opposed to this fictional one) worth writing and worth reading. What makes one person's life story valuable to others? In the case of Mira's life, the value of the story, interesting as it was, remained uncertain to me. A recent discussion in my in-person book group posed the question, is it necessary to like the characters in a novel in order to like the book itself? Or can a book filled with unlikeable characters still be enjoyable? The Amateur is a good example of the latter: few of the characters in this book were at all likeable, and yet, for the most part, I did enjoy the novel.

The main character and narrator is Mira, a high school senior and competitive golfer who seemed to have a glorious life ahead of her, until the day she hit a golf ball that killed a seventeen-year-old caddy who was hanging out nearby. But perhaps that glorious life was a mirage after all; Mira reveals quite early in the novel that she's sleeping with a 47-year-old married man, and has been doing so regularly since she was fifteen. Even as she grows older over the course of the novel, older men are almost an obsession for her. There's little in the novel to explain her predilection for older lovers, her extensive sexual experience, nor her frequent drug abuse; apparently that's just who she is. Her relationship with her parents is not especially strained, but she sees herself as something of the black sheep in her family, comparing herself to her older brother Spencer who seems to be her parents' pride and joy.

The novel proceeds as the boy's death is investigated and two potential court cases loom on the horizon: a criminal case in which Mira seems likely to be charged with his death, which she claims was purely accidental, and a civil case involving her, the country club at which the incident occurred, and the manufacturer of a net into which she was hitting the ball when the incident occurred. The plot moves back and forth between details of the investigation and preparation for the court cases, and Mira's day-to-day life; there's no significant suspense, since Mira's narration looks back at this period of her life from decades later when she has become, she makes clear, a successful novelist living a satisfying life. Yet, this incident from her past (and other incidents as well) clearly haunt her, and perhaps that in itself is sufficient reason for telling her story.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian is a highly recommended literary domestic drama and coming-of-age story following an accidental death.

In August of 1978 at the Tallmadge Country Club in Westchester County, N.Y., a small tear in the practice netting allowed a golf ball going 140-150 mph to rip through the netting and slam into the right side of the head of 17-year-old caddy Kenneth Foster causing an epidural hematoma and death. Mira Winston, an 18-year-old LPGA hopeful, was the one responsible for driving the ball that accidentally hit Kenny into the practice netting. While everyone initially agrees it was an accident, Mira is shaken to the core by the death and decides she will not be going on to attend Yale in a few weeks. In fact, Mira also never plays golf again. She is also having an affair that started when she was 15-years-old with a 47-year-old married man Theo Catton during this time

The novel is written in the form of a candid memoir by Mira as an adult looking back at that time of her life. She talks about her affairs with older men, and her mother's affair. She discusses what happens when Kenny's father discovered her affair with Theo and then told her parents. She claimed it started when she was already 18, but looking back now it is clear she was a victim. Mira honestly shares about her drug use, trying to escape reality. The news of the affair gets out and everyone seems to turn against Mira. Mira is eventually part of the civil case over Kenny's death.

Mira is an aggressively complicated and disagreeable character. It is extremely difficult to like her. She was being taken advantage of and abused by a predatory man whether she realizes it or not. In the novel she is currently an adult and author of over 25 books who is now looking back at events that happened many years ago. The narrative covers self-destructive behavior, a trial, abuse, post-traumatic stress, familial dysfunction, self-medication, and self-doubt.

While the quality of the writing is exceptional, I'll admit while I was reading the novel was rated lower. The plot is a more even-paced character study, and Mira is an unlikable character throughout the novel. The focus on her affair didn't exactly ring true to what a teen girl would be thinking and feeling, so, in my opinion, you can easily tell a man wrote this story during certain scenes/descriptions. What raised my rating was the final denouement and the epilogue in this morally complex narrative.

The Amateur is a good choice for readers interested in a literary coming-of-age tale following a complicated, unlikable main character. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...

[HalKid2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE AMATEUR is a young woman's coming-of-age story by talented writer Chris Bohjalian, one of my favorites. Taking place in the late 1970s, it's a story of how a single accident can drastically change the lives of so many.

18 year old Mira Winston is an attractive, smart high school senior looking forward to starting Yale University in the fall. She lives in a small but privileged town outside New York City, where her she spends her free time practicing golf swings at the local country club. Everyone in town expects Mira will one day become one of the sport's champions.

But the confidence Mira projects doesn't fully reflect her internal reality. Feeling less seen that her successful older brother and desperate for her father's approval, Mira finds herself drawn to both predatory older men and to illegal substances - in order to cope with the pressures and difficulties she encounters.

Then, one afternoon, there's a freak accident. An errant golf ball aimed at a net passes through that net, hitting and killing a high school student working as a weekend caddy. Surely someone must pay for such a tragedy! But who is responsible? The country club for placing the net in an unsafe location? The golf pro for removing a target that compromised the integrity of the net? The manufacturer of the net? Or Mira because she hit the ball? And in searching for answers, what role will social class and privilege play?

The struggle to find a culprit changes everyone and everything in town. And forces Mira and her family into an unexpected social and legal morass. THE AMATEUR is a fast-moving story, with lots of twists and turns, that exposes and examines just how vulnerable we human beings are. Plans, expectations, and dreams can disappear in an instant. Even people not directly involved in an unexpected event can feel the impact on the most mundane daily activities.

Bohjalian has crafted an unusual voice in this novel. Mira Winston is the narrator, relating her own teen story, but from the perspective of middle age. So, as readers, we get to experience both how Mira feels as a young woman navigating events AND how her perspective shifts when she ages. All the while retaining the same sardonic humor.

While I often find male authors have trouble creating a believable voice for female protagonists, I mostly felt Bohjalian did a credible character with Mira. There were only a few places (related to sexual activity) where I felt Mira's voice sounded male.

Be aware there are some difficult themes included: drugs, infidelity, sexual predators, grief, alcoholism, and suicide. But also friendship, love, and familial support. Like all the other novels I've read by Bohjalian, this is well worth your time. It's an intriguing plot and a well-crafted narrative.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Bohjalian’s books are hit or miss for me (case in point: I have an ARC of The Jackal’s Mistress that I still haven’t read!). I’m usually more intrigued by the concept than the actual story. Usually the scope expands to the point that the original story I was interested in hearing gets lost in the shuffle (or in the case of Hour of the Witch, only shows up in the last 30 pages). This novel has a much narrower, almost claustrophobic scope - it’s definitely a slow burn character study.

The titular amateur is Mira Winston, a Yale-bound high school senior with hopes of playing in the LPGA. One day she’s practicing on the driving range and, in a complete freak accident, drives the ball completely through the net, where it hits one of the caddies in the head and kills him. It’s clearly not intentional, but it sets off a string of events as the club, the net company, and Kenny the caddy’s parents try to determine who IS to blame for this kid’s death.

The conceit is that this book is a memoir by adult Mira, by now a successful author herself (most of the books she describes sound like Bohjalian’s own novels - it’s weirdly meta in a way I didn’t care for). She’s looking back at the self-destructive teenager she once was and spotting all the ways things could have broken differently for her. At the time, she convinced herself that Kenny’s death was somehow HER punishment for sleeping with a 40-something married man. And she also has a history of being reactive and prone to violence, having once taken a golf club to a classmate’s windshield (in Mira’s defense, the dude assaulted her). So once the course pro starts examining the net and thinking back on Mira’s prior tantrum about the net having a built-in target (which was NOT there the day Kenny was killed), everything starts to look pretty bleak. And the case she kept being assured would “never make it to trial” no longer looks so open and shut.

It’s an interesting character study, how quickly the town turns on Mira after her affair with Theo comes to light (thanks to none other than Kenny’s father, who spotted them at a hotel). And how even though we KNOW Mira didn’t do it on purpose, she can still be held criminally liable for this kid’s death, and how that can lead a person to spiral. It’s not really a mystery (though we do eventually learn what happened to the target), but a tightly focused character study of how one small moment can have a devastating ripple effect.

[Bonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian has a gift for taking a single catastrophic moment and exploring the shockwaves that ripple outward, and The Amateur is one of his strongest character studies.

The novel opens with an accident so horrifying that it's impossible to look away: eighteen-year-old golf prodigy Mira Winston hits a practice ball through a damaged net, killing a teenage caddy. From there, the story becomes part courtroom drama, part mystery, but mostly an examination of guilt, privilege, responsibility, and the stories we tell ourselves about the people involved in tragedy.

What impressed me most was Bohjalian's portrayal of Mira. He (as a 63-year-old male) does an excellent job writing an eighteen-year-old female golf prodigy. Mira is not an especially likable character; she's impulsive, selfish at times, and makes some truly questionable decisions but she never felt like a caricature of a spoiled rich girl. Instead, she came across to me as a complicated young woman who has had remarkably poor role models and very little meaningful guidance. That complexity made me care about what happened to her, even when I didn't approve of her choices.

I also appreciated that you don't have to play golf (or even understand the game, as I certainly don't) to become completely immersed in the story. Bohjalian explains just enough without ever bogging the narrative down, and the country club setting becomes its own fascinating world.

Although there's a trial and an intriguing mystery surrounding the damaged practice net, I found myself reading less for the "big reveal" and more because I wanted to know what would become of Mira. These days, surprise endings often feel overhyped, and for me, the emotional journey mattered far more than uncovering every last secret.

The ending and especially the epilogue elevate the novel even further, forcing readers to reconsider who the real villains are. Was it recklessness? Negligence? Privilege? The adults who failed Mira? Or is assigning blame itself more complicated than we'd like it to be? Bohjalian leaves readers with questions rather than easy answers, and I found that far more satisfying.

"You took advantage of my disadvantage." ~ Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov

A compelling, nuanced novel about one terrible swing of a golf club and the lives forever altered by it. This was 4.5 stars for me, rounded up. Thank you to Edelweiss and Doubleday for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on August 4, 2026.