About Chasing the Sun
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: New Harvest (June 3, 2014)
Partially inspired by her grandfather’s kidnapping in Peru, CHASING THE SUN: A Novel (Lake Union/New Harvest; on sale June 3, 2014) is Natalia Sylvester’s suspenseful debut about a man whose wife is kidnapped just as their marriage is falling apart.
After going out for an errand, Marabela Jimenez doesn’t return home and her husband suspects she has left him – again. Only, the next day a letter arrives in the mail that reads:
Querido Andres,
I’m being held by three men who say they’ll keep me safe as long as you cooperate. They say that means no cops and no media. They say they’ll call when they’re ready to talk to you. Kiss our children for me and tell them not to worry. Keep me in your thoughts as I will be keeping you in mine.
Marabela
Despite their crumbling relationship, Andres quickly realizes he must do whatever it takes to get Marabela home. He can’t possibly afford the ransom the kidnappers demand or handle this threat to his family alone so he hires a consultant to help negotiate with the terrorists. He also reaches out to his estranged mother, who has never cared for Marabela and even reconnects with an old friend who may hold the key to his past and his wife’s future. As each day passes without the return of his wife, Andres is forced to come to terms with whether or not what he and Marabela have left is worth saving and how far he’ll go to bring her home.
Set against the backdrop of the political turmoil and terrorist threats of 1992 Peru, CHASING THE SUN is a story of how trauma has a way of exposing our most difficult truths and healing past wounds and regrets.
“A fascinating, brooding depiction of a kidnapping in Peru and how the price of a happy marriage is much higher than any ransom.”—Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
“In Chasing the Sun, Natalia Sylvester paints an intimate portrait of a Peruvian businessman whose wife is kidnapped and held for ransom. The story resonates with every tortured breath of a loyal husband caught between money and family, a troubled marriage, and an aching heart.”—Leslie Lehr, author of What a Mother Knows
“With wonderful writing and subtle insight, Natalia Sylvester has created a stunning combination of domestic drama and high political adventure. Chasing the Sun is a remarkable accomplishment.”—Stephen Dau, author of The Book of Jonas
“An intimate, unflinching portrait of a marriage, examined against the suspenseful backdrop of a terrifying kidnapping. Natalia Sylvester writes masterfully about the many ties that bind and the sacrifices that may be necessary in order to truly free ourselves. Wise, lyrical, and intriguing throughout—this book stole me away, refusing my return until I finished the last page.”—Seré Prince Halverson, author of The Underside of Joy
Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble
About Natalia Sylvester
Natalia Sylvester was born in Lima, Peru. She came to the U.S. at age four and grew up in South Florida, where she received a B.A. in creative writing from the University of Miami. A former magazine editor, Natalia now works as a freelance writer in Austin, Texas.
Connect with the author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
Natalia Sylvester’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, June 2nd: Book-alicous Mama
Tuesday, June 3rd: Book Lust
Wednesday, June 4th: Bookchickdi
Thursday, June 5th: Sidewalk Shoes
Friday, June 6th: Bibliotica
Monday, June 9th: Sarah’s Book Shelves
Tuesday, June 10th: 5 Minutes for Books
Wednesday, June 11th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Wednesday, June 11th: A Bookish Way of Life
Thursday, June 12th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Friday, June 13th: Book Hooked Blog
Monday, June 16th: Lit and Life
Wednesday, June 18th: Between the Covers
Thursday, June 19th: Read. Write. Repeat.
Friday, June 20th: Snowdrop Dreams of Books
Friday, June 20th: Books a la Mode – Guest post
Monday, June 23rd: Love at First Book
Tuesday, June 24th: My Bookshelf
Wednesday, June 25th: A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, June 25th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Thursday, June 26th: Kritter’s Ramblings