The Sins of Good People: A Novel

by Kelly Young Chang

A gripping, emotional suspense about a missing woman, a hidden child, and the devastating secrets we keep to protect one another, perfect for readers of The God of the Woods or Wild Dark Shore. This limited-print, deluxe first edition of Kelly Young Chang's debut is a must-have for book lovers and collectors. Premium features Ombré stained edges with raindrop stencilingA premium case stampIllustrated endpapers
“An elegant puzzle box of a novel . . . ASTOUNDINGLY ACCOMPLISHED.” ―Kate Quinn
“A SPELLBINDING debut that glimmers with quiet intrigue.”―Ledia Xhoga
“Tense and atmospheric . . . a STUNNING debut. ”―Carol Goodman
“An ENTHRALLING mystery . . . I fell hard.”―Laura Zigman
“A GORGEOUS, GOTHIC fever-dream of a novel . . . I was mesmerized from the first page.” ―Jennifer Cody Epstein 
On a fall night in 1951, Lily Ambrose disappeared, leaving behind only a pair of shoes, a family Bible, and questions no one wants to answer. Years later, when her body is finally recovered from the lake, the town settles on a convenient version of the truth.But some stories refuse to stay buried.Told through an unforgettable cast of voices―including two sisters bound by circumstance, a midwife who knows the weight of secrets all too well, and the children who accidentally stumble upon truths they were never meant to know―The Sins of Good People unfolds as a slow-burn mystery about what really happened to Lily . . . and who’s been keeping it quiet.Suspenseful, compassionate, and deeply human, The Sins of Good People is a riveting story of innocence and complicity, childhood and power, and the dangerous comfort of believing that only bad people do bad things.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 20, 2027

Reviews

[Natalie Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. This book is definitely in my top 10 for the year. The author drew me into the book right away, and though it took a few chapters to get my bearings on all the characters and the timeline, the author beautifully narrates two generations of interwoven stories. This novel teaches us that no person is innately bad, and that good people do, sometimes, do bad things. It tells the stories behind the tragic actions, those taking the lives of others. I appreciate how the author slowly reveals the mysteries of the story and changes your perspective on the events of the story. I was reminded of The Frozen River and God of the Woods as I read this book, as the book description states. I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading the author’s novels to come.

[Kailee Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

 Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Publishing for this ARC of The Sins of Good People.
To start, this was a “can’t put it down until I know what happens” type of read. The complexities of characters that move between timelines requires the reader to pay close attention, but as the story unfolds, it is impossible to put the book down anyway!
Each chapter is full of mystery and deeply human themes: choices (or lack there of), assumptions, guilt, shame, love, and family connection are apparent throughout. The reader is presented with many scenarios at face value, only to then dive deeper into the why. This deep dive reveals reasonings for behavior that makes the reader think and reflect on what they themselves would do when presented with such a situation-how far would you go for someone you loved?

10/10, highly recommend!

[Melissa Cecil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, you come across a story that you just know will draw you in, captivate you, and leave you reeling. The Sins of Good People (what a great title!) is an incredible debut novel from Kelly Young Chang. The story of the Ambrose sisters, the secrets hidden within their small town, and the hurt that spans generations has burrowed its way into my heart.

Part mystery, part family drama, and a powerful story about women fighting to protect themselves and the people they love, this book is one that will stay with me. I hope everyone gives it a chance and trusts the process as the characters slowly reveal themselves and their stories unfold. It’s well worth the journey.

[Teresa Graber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a mystery full of family secrets and plot twists that shook me up. This story constantly kept me guessing about what happened. While the many characters and shifting timelines can feel a bit overwhelming at first, they actually weave a deep, complicated, and tragic mystery. Its detailed and vivid style of storytelling challenged me to pay attention, and I found myself eager to flip back and dive right back into the story. In the beginning of the book, I had to restart to ground myself and understand how the characters were intertwined with each other. The many characters and timeline changes enrich the story and kept me engaged to wanting to more.
Thank you NetGalley and Abrams for the opportunity to read an early release of Sins of Good People in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Jessica Godoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!!

5 star mystery!! I loved this story told through multiple points of view, particularly fell for Titiana and Benjamin’s characters. It took me a minute to figure out timelines against multiple characters, but once I got in the groove, I was at the edge of my seat with suspense and intrigue. Multiple twists are layered throughout and I challenge a reader not to be shocked by one.

I believe this is Chang’s debut novel and I’m excited to read more from her. Fans of Long Bright River and God of the Woods will love this.

So very grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

[Aj Yogi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took a bit for me to get all the timelines and characters straight, but once I did, I couldn't put this down. Highly recommend this debut novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

[Rachel Belanger · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Initially, the multiple timelines and narrators got me and slowed my releasing as I got to know them, things came together. I enjoyed the character development in this novel as well as the set up for the plot. I was hooked once I was about halfway through and read the last hundred pages in a setting with *most* things tied up quite neatly at the end. Certain questions were left unanswered including several about paternity, but perhaps that was the point? Would recommend to all my readers.

[Kelsey Lawlis · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

🖤 thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion 🖤

This is an amazing debut novel. Rich in secrets and plot twists that span 2 generations-I was drawn into this story and its mystery. It does take a bit to orient yourself on the multitude of characters and timeline hops-but once you establish some back story, the suspense and suspicious death of Lily Ambrose becomes the driving force. This will def be a top book of 2027. 4.25⭐️
👀 releasing April, 2027

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

*note: NetGalley ARC review
This was an excellent written, well developed novel.
I love how clear and amplified individual characters voices were as well as the timelines were very distinct. Reading this connected me to my childhood in a way as it almost felt like I was reading a Dear Canada book… this time, just with a maturer themed mystery.
I am giving this four stars as it lost my attention a couple of times, though I will admit I was more captivated than I normally am through historically set novels.
I would recommend this book to those seeking a thrill, particularly one set in the days of yore.

[Alyssa · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This book was so well written and very engaging! This was my first book by Kelly Young Chang and it did not disappoint. The plot & the characters really made this story come together so well!

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sins of Good People is an interesting and original mystery, but I’ll admit that it took me quite a while to get my bearings. The opening chapters felt disjointed, with different characters and storylines that didn’t seem to have much connection to one another. I came close to giving up because I wasn’t sure where the story was going or how all these pieces fit together.

Fortunately, I stuck with it. Gradually, the connections began to emerge, and once everything started coming together, I found the book almost impossible to put down. What initially felt confusing became a carefully constructed story about secrets, complicity, power, and the ways people convince themselves that they are “good” even when they are making terrible choices.

I particularly appreciated the novel’s exploration of the gray areas between innocence and guilt. The people who keep secrets aren’t necessarily villains, and the desire to protect a family, a reputation, or a community can lead otherwise decent people into increasingly troubling decisions. The multiple perspectives also add depth to the mystery and make the reader question how much any one person really understands about what happened to Lily.

This definitely requires some patience at the beginning, but for me, the payoff was worth it. Once the pieces fell into place, I was completely invested in finding out what really happened and why so many people were determined to keep the truth buried.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on April 20, 2027.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

I don’t know where to start with this, and not sure the author did either. It was a fantastic story but I rounded down to 3 stars for the first 20%. I trudged through the beginning. I love timejumps but these were really incohesive, and I kept flipping back to see what year I was in. I had to force myself to carry on, but I’m really glad I did.

But now for the good stuff. I was really transported to this small town and the author perfectly captured the inner voices of the children. Could not have done a better job with that.

This was a very layered story but I kept finding myself unable to stop digging through these layers, although I feel like I never got to Henrietta....though this may be the point.

I did think the ending was a bit convenient but I also couldn’t go to bed until I got to that ending. I do highly recommend this to anyone who likes a mystery, albeit a dark one.

[Lauren Ateyeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, this book was SO good!!! The Sins of Good People pulls you into this small town in 1951 where Lily Ambrose just... vanishes, and when her body finally turns up years later, everyone's a little too quick to accept the easy explanation. But you can feel from page one that something's off, like the whole town is holding its breath. The way the story bounces between all these different voices, the two sisters, the midwife who's clearly seen too much, the kids who stumble into secrets way over their heads, had me hooked and honestly kind of anxious the whole time, in the best way. It also hits you with this idea that "good people" do bad things too, they just get better cover stories. Suspenseful, heartbreaking, and so beautifully written. Def. a 5 star read, could not put it down!!

[Heather Fineisen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 A strong and thoughtful debut. The story centers around a small town and two spinster sisters and a midwife. Secrets abound and some you see coming and some are surprising. A group of boys adds to the charm and mystery of the happenings as they investigate. My favorite characters were the midwife and a nine year old child who brings the story to life. Religious undertones are strong with the midwife's story and her faith is questioned. Sin and impossible choices are portrayed with a lot to think about. These characters and their stories will stay with me. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

'The Sins of Good People' by Kelly Young Chang deals with some really heavy themes, so definitely check the trigger warnings before picking this one up. For me, I think it was simply too dark. The writing was good and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading, but the darkness of the story made it difficult for me to connect with the characters emotionally.

I can appreciate what the author was trying to do, and I think there are readers who will really connect with this story. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the right book for me.

[Jaslanika Bhatia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1950s small-town setting is atmospheric and the mystery at the heart of this is genuinely compelling, once it gets going. The early chapters can feel overwhelming with so many characters to keep track of, and the ending wraps up a little too quickly for such a layered story. But stick with it, because it does come together in a satisfying way. A promising debut from Kelly Young Chang.