About The Returned
- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (August 27, 2013)
Jason Mott’s debut novel, The Returned (Harlequin MIRA; September 2013; $24.95 U.S./$27.95 CAN.), tells the haunting story of the world turned upside down when the departed come back from death, bringing joy and agony to those they left behind. A riveting high concept wrapped in a spare, literary narrative that delves deep into the hearts and minds of its unforgettable characters, the novel has already been adapted for television by ABC Studios, Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment and Brillstein Entertainment Partners for a forthcoming drama series, Resurrection.
One summer’s day, Agent Bellamy of the International Bureau of the Returned arrives at the home of Harold and Lucille Hargrave with their young son, Jacob, in tow. Jacob, who drowned on his eighth birthday almost fifty years before, is among the many long-dead who have been reappearing around the world, exactly as they were when they passed.
The Hargraves are no longer the young parents who lost their child that tragic day, but Lucille embraces Jacob as if it were yesterday, thrilled to have her darling son once again. The more skeptical Harold is not so sure. He was the one who found Jacob’s body in the river all those years ago; how could this little boy truly be his son?
From the Hargraves’ tiny Southern town of Arcadia to every corner of the globe, the Returned are appearing in increasing numbers, and their loved ones are both filled with gladness and alarmed by the implications. Questions of why the dead are returning remain unanswered—is it a miracle to celebrate or some portent of the end of days? Some, like Lucille, refuse to temper their newfound happiness with dark explanations, but many in Arcadia are fearful of the Returned. As public sentiment swings against them, the seemingly docile Returned are rounded up and detained in prisonlike camps. Their numbers continue to grow, and the camps become increasingly overcrowded and are targets for the brewing fear and hatred among the living.
When Jacob is interned, Harold stays with him, still confounded by what it all means. While one faction in Arcadia grows violent in its efforts to expel the Returned, others grapple with the sudden presence of those long absent—from an entire family murdered long ago under mysterious circumstances to the troubled first love of the town’s minister. As the skein of the once close-knit community unravels into a tangled “us vs. them” rhetoric and retribution—and similar public hysteria erupts around the world—the very definition of humanity will be called into question.
At once disquieting and poignant, The Returned is a remarkable debut work of fiction that blends elements of many genres—from the dystopian thriller to the classic Southern novel. Jason Mott has written a wholly original story that is sure to spark debate now and for years to come.
“Poet and debut author Mott has written a breathtaking novel that navigates emotional minefields with realism and grace.” — Kirkus (starred review)
“In his exceptional debut novel, poet Mott brings drama, pathos, joy, horror and redemption to a riveting tale.”’—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“An extraordinary and beautifully realized novel. My spine is still shivering from the memory of this haunting story.”—Douglas Preston, #1 bestselling author of The Monster of Florence
About Jason Mott
Jason Mott holds a B.A. in fiction and an M.F.A. in poetry, both from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and is the author of two poetry collections. His writing has appeared in numerous literary journals, and he was nominated for the 2009 Pushcart Prize. Jason lives in North Carolina. The Returned is his first novel.
Jason Mott’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, August 26th: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Tuesday, August 27th: Rinn Reads
Tuesday, August 27th: River City Reading
Wednesday, August 28th: Bookalicious Mama
Wednesday, August 28th: From the TBR Pile
Thursday, August 29th: Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, August 30th: Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
Monday, September 2nd: Col Reads
Tuesday, September 3rd: Man of La Book
Wednesday, September 4th: Books Speak Volumes
Thursday, September 5th: BookChickDi
Monday, September 9th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Monday, September 9th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Tuesday, September 10th: Mockingbird Hill Cottage
Wednesday, September 11th: Simply Stacie
Thursday, September 12th: A Bookworm’s World
Friday, September 13th: The Book Wheel
Saturday, September 14th: The Book Wheel – author guest post
Monday, September 16th: Peppermint Ph.D.
Tuesday, September 17th: Melissa Firman
Wednesday, September 18th: Bewitched Bookworms
Thursday, September 19th: A Bookish Way of Life
Friday, September 20th: Luxury Reading
Friday, September 20th: 5 Minutes for Books
Monday, September 23rd: Happy. Pretty. Sweet.
Tuesday, September 24th: The Best Books Ever
Wednesday, September 25th: Silver’s Reviews
Thursday, September 26th: Between the Covers
Friday, September 27th: Literally Jen
Monday, September 30th: Julz Reads
Tuesday, October 1st: Ageless Pages Reviews
Wednesday, October 2nd: Book Addict Katie
Thursday, October 3rd: Broken Teepee
Friday, October 4th: A Novel Review
Wednesday, October 9th: Laura’s Reviews