About this item
A scintillating debut novel about a young couple whose marriage is tested when they move to an army base rife with love triangles, life-or-death conflicts, and a dramatic cover-up In 1959, Nat Collier moves with her husband, Paul, and their two young daughters to Idaho Falls, a remote military town. An Army Specialist, Paul is stationed there to help oversee one of the country's first nuclear reactors - an assignment that seems full of opportunity. Then, on his rounds, Paul discovers that the reactor is compromised, placing his family and the entire community in danger. Worse, his superiors set out to cover up the problem rather than fix it. Paul can't bring himself to tell Nat the truth, but his lies only widen a growing gulf between them. Lonely and restless, Nat is having trouble adjusting to their new life. She struggles to fit into her role as a housewife and longs for a real friend. When she meets a rancher, Esrom, she finds herself drawn to him, comforted by his kindness and company. But as rumors spread, the secrets between Nat and Paul build and threaten to reach a breaking point. Based on a true story of the only fatal nuclear accident to occur in America, The Longest Night is a deeply moving novel that explores the intricate makeup of a marriage, the shifting nature of trust, and the ways we try to protect the ones we love. Praise for The Longest Night"Think Army Wives meets Serial meets your perfect long weekend read. About an army base with a lot of love triangles, and a cover-up." - theSkimm "The tension builds heavily with each page." - InStyle "In both Paul and Nat we find echoes of Frank and April Wheeler in Richard Yates's classic novel of late-1950s suburbia, Revolutionary Road. . . . [The Longest Night] not only packs taut, enthralling and utterly absorbing drama, but unexpected triumph and grace." - Paste "The Longest Night is not only a revealing story of a community gripped by Cold War paranoia, but also an unsettling portrait of commitment and desire." - BookPage "This is a great first novel." - Library Journal"Scintillating . . . A smoldering, altogether impressive debut that probes the social and emotional strains on military families in a fresh and insightful way." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "[A] luminous debut . . . [Andria] Williams expertly builds tension between Paul and Nat as the story progresses towards the inevitable nuclear tragedy in this utterly absorbing and richly rewarding novel." - BOOKLIST (starred review) "Andria Williams's debut is an intimately detailed portrait of love, trust, and guilt in a town - and an era - clouded with secrets." - Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You "A smart and compassionate novel that offers as many fresh insights into marriage and intimacy as it does about American nuclear history. Andria Williams is a terrific writer - clear-eyed and empathetic - and this is a fantastic debut." - Molly Antopol, author of The UnAmericans"It's hard to believe The Longest Night is Andria Williams's debut novel. Her command of language, character and plot - the three essential ingredients for a riveting read - is extraordinary." - David Abrams, author of Fobbit
About the Author
Andria Williams received her M.F.A. from the University of Minnesota and in the years since, as part of an active-duty military family, has lived all over the U.S.: Virginia Beach and Norfolk, Virginia; Belleville, Illinois; northern California, southern California, and Colorado.
