The Women in White

A Novel

by Sarah Pekkanen

The next thriller from #1 bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen combines a decades-old mystery with spine-tingling paranormal elements in this twisty novel of the seen and unseen.

Extrasensory perception.
The Gift.
A Sixth Sense.
Or something else….

In 1964, four remarkable young women at a prestigious university became the subjects of parapsychology experiments by a visionary scientist. On the cusp of a historic breakthrough, the women mysteriously vanished and the program was erased from history.

Decades later, Riley Bell, newly divorced and desperate for a fresh start, accepts a caretaker job for an elderly widow named Betty. Riley steps into a home that is frozen in another era – no microwave, television, or cell phones, and Betty has never heard of the internet.

Why has Betty lived in such profound isolation for so many years, and why does she need Riley now? As the story unfolds across two timelines – Betty’s 1960s era of 5 o’clock martinis and high-stakes experiments, and Riley’s quest to uncover the truth about the missing women – old secrets rise to the surface. And the only way to survive is to confront the mystery that has lingered for sixty years.

5 out of 5 fairies

A bit of a mystery, a lot of suspense, and characters that will linger with you even after you’ve finished the final page. I loved getting to see things unfold both in the 1960s and the present day, although Betty’s house might as well still be in the ‘60s. Pekkanen does a fantastic job building up the tension and drawing you in, keeping the pacing even throughout. I would love to get to talk to Betty irl, I’m sure there are so many more stories she has that weren’t shared in this book. The friendship between the four women was heartwarming, but the things they went through and the risks of pushing science so hard were tense. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a thriller as your next read!

A “Most Anticipated” Today.com Book Pick
Named One of Goodreads’ Most Anticipated Books of Summer

“[A] novel everyone will be reading this summer.” — The New York Times

“Enticing. The historical storyline rivets with its nuanced characters and graceful explorations of gender inequality, medical ethics, and mental health.” — Publisher’s Weekly

“Pekkanen’s latest is a tour de force: a thriller, an investigation into universities’ past abuse of young women in psych labs, and a nicely creepy evocation of Wilkie Collins’ famous, similarly named Gothic novel. Riley uncovers increasingly disturbing information about the missing women and the lab’s cover-up in this thriller that’s both entertaining and wrenching.” — Booklist (Starred review)

“THE WOMEN IN WHITE is a swift, lean, compelling tale of preternatural suspense, disturbing in all the right ways. When the pursuit of knowledge is really the pursuit of power, things go wrong—which can be devilishly entertaining!” — DEAN KOONTZ

“THE WOMEN IN WHITE is prime suspense and intrigue. In the 1960s, four young women become tragically involved in psychic experimentation at a prestigious college. In the present day, a young woman, down on her luck, becomes the caretaker of one of the survivors. The full story unfolds with fascinating layers, and readers will be held captive until the last page.” — CHARLAINE HARRIS

“This fun and fast-paced novel was inspired by real-life psychic experiments and academic parapsychology departments of the 1960s — what a great setting for a creepy thriller! Imagine something like Mad Men with ESP and telekinesis. Sarah Pekkanen delivers a thoroughly entertaining story and made me believe the impossible.” — Jason Rekulak, NYT bestselling author of The Last One at the Wedding

“Readers of Megan Miranda and Samantha Downing will enjoy this suspenseful tale featuring an unlikely pair of women from different generations. It will especially appeal to anyone who has ever experienced a flicker of premonition.” — Library Journal

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