Author Description

Secrets of Southern Girls is an evocative Southern Gothic mystery, blending suspense, memory, and redemption into a spellbinding story—perfect for fans of Diane Chamberlain, Ellen Marie Wiseman, and atmospheric women's fiction. Some secrets haunt you for a lifetime. Some are your only chance at forgiveness. Julie Portland thought leaving Lawrence Mill, Mississippi meant an escape. An escape from the guilt over her best friend Reba's death, and from the secret she's carried ever since. Now a struggling single mother in New York, Julie still can't forget the ghost of a girl with golden hair. When August, Reba's first love, begs Julie to return home and recover Reba's long-lost diary, painful memories resurface. The diary threatens to unravel the fragile peace Julie has built, exposing the truth behind a tragedy that changed them all. With immersive, lyrical writing and a deep sense of place, Secrets of Southern Girls takes readers on a journey through family secrets and the courage it takes to seek forgiveness. Praise for Secrets of Southern Girls: "Harrigan's novel, part mystery and part coming-of-age, explores the process of healing from tragedies and misunderstandings."—Publishers Weekly "Harrigan is a great prose stylist who knows how to sustain the tension and tone required of a Southern Gothic novel."—ForeWord