*FEATURED IN SUNDAY TIMES, NEW YORK TIMES, APPLE'S BEST BOOKS, AMAZON'S BEST BOOKS OF JUNE, CRIMEREADS RECOMMENDS AND LITHUB'S TOP BOOKS* 'SARAH WATERS AND DONNA TARTT SQUAD, BUCKLE UP: Killingly is hitting the Plain Bad Heroines place in my heart again' Autostraddle 'Impressive' Sunday Times 'Gothic atmosphere, great period detail and a genuine shock at the end' Guardian Killingly, 1897. The young women of Mount Holyoke - a prestigious university in a quiet rural town - are famous for their beauty and charm. Except for plain, quiet Agnes and Bertha, a pair uninterested in ballgowns and young men. They'd rather study Latin, write poetry, and lose themselves in the dark woods of Killingly. Until one autumn morning, Bertha vanishes. While a search team dredges the pond where she might have drowned, a private detective arrives in town and begins an investigation, discovering before long that plain, quiet Bertha was keeping a terrible secret. A secret that could cost Agnes her life and shatter the glittering reputation of Mount Holyoke forever... A gothic, turn-of-the-century campus thriller about female desire, rage and ambition, perfect for fans of TRIFLERS NEED NOT APPLY, THE BINDING and FINGERSMITH . . . * EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT KILLINGLY: 'A haunting story . . . will stay with me long after reading' ELIZABETH LEE, author of Cunning Women 'Completely engrossing. Unforgettable!' MARTHA CONWAY, author of The Physician's Daughter 'Beutner is masterful at depicting the intrigue and innuendo of a women's college. Perfect pacing . . . grows increasingly shocking as the pages turn' The Akron Beacon Journal