A strange and brilliant young man slips out of a mental institution and takes his family hostage in the frozen isolation of the mountains. In a suffocating cabin, he demands the truth from Moira, the mother who admired and abandoned him; Nathan, the father who showered him with a dangerous, unconditional love; and Crissie, the younger sister who adored and betrayed him. At the center of this Rashomon-like tale are Moira, beautiful, deceptive, loving, and cold, and Vince, a stranger with a secret who finds himself drawn into the tense and explosive climax.

A visceral, relentlessly compelling novel of true literary achievement, "The Desperate Season captivates as it terrifies, with a psychological power that resonates long after its haunting conclusion.