Rabbit, Fox, Tar

by P.C. Verrone

A mesmerizing, fable-like debut novel about a mysterious young Black woman whose arrival in an insular neighborhood threatens to shake its foundations

When Baby appears in Original Hill, her name is on everyone's lips. A young Black woman is a rare sight in this part of town, and she sits all day on the Foxes’ garden wall, swinging her bare feet and speaking to no one. That is, until the charismatic Lucius “Lucky” Foote comes along and touches her, sparking their romance. Arm-in-arm with Baby, who seems to exert a seemingly supernatural pull on the other residents, Lucky is confident he will secure the open city council seat away from Baby’s uncle Eugene Fox, the back-from-retirement white incumbent.

With protestors reopening old wounds around the Black neighborhood that was leveled by the nearby highway decades ago and Lucky threatening his position, Fox believes it’s not just a city council seat at stake, but the “soul” of Original Hill.

As Baby is woven further into the unraveling community, she begins to stray from Fox’s strict rules and question everything, from where she came from to who—and what—she truly is.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Magical Realism, Gothic, Historical, Fantasy, Literary Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Francis Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my first reads of the year but I already know that it will be making it onto my list of 2026 new release recommendations. A creative and compelling take on the ever-evolving and multifaceted work of reparations for the destruction of vibrant Black communities intentionally destabilized, displaced, and demolished by the US interstate highway system. Verrone expertly combines character study and unique narrative styles to weave a poignant social commentary without feeling didactic or sanctimonious. The gradual escalation of preternatural and folk magic elements feels earned and elevates the novel's themes without distracting from them or hindering the quality of the character work.

[Eric Thomas]

There were a couple of interesting ideas in here, especially the setup between the rabbit and fox dynamics, and the strange “tar” element had potential. But the execution didn’t land. The dialogue felt flat in places, and I didn’t really believe the emotional moments. Still, I can see what the author was aiming for. It just needed tighter writing and more focus. Not a total miss, but hard to stay engaged.

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeously lyrical, supremely interesting, and fantastically well-written. every element of this was quite interesting. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.