Sometimes the biggest lies are the ones we tell ourselves.

Four days…
Trapped in a well, surrounded by dirt, scratching at the walls trying to find a way out.
Four days of a thirst so strong, that when it finally rains, I drink as much as possible from the dripping walls, not even caring how much dirt comes with it.

Six months…
Since my escape. Since no one believed I was taken to begin with – from my own bed, after a party, when no one else was home… Six months of trying to find answers and being told instead that I made the whole incident up.

One month…
Since I logged on to the Jane Anonymous site for the first time and found a community of survivors who listen without judgment, provide advice, and console each other when needed.  A month of chatting with a survivor whose story eerily mirrors my own: a girl who’s been receiving triggering clues, just like me, and who could help me find the answers I’m searching for.

Three days…
Since she mysteriously disappears, and since I’m forced to ask the questions: will my chance to find out what happened to me vanish with her? And will I be next?

 

Praise for The Last Secret You'll Ever Keep

"Effective and memorable…the bleak, soul-crushing terror of being surrounded by folks who don’t believe your trauma exists is the truest horror Stolarz explores.” - Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

 

"The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep is a frank, often searing look into the trauma that survivors of violence are forced to endure and overcome, and how that’s exacerbated when important people in their lives refuse to believe them. Palpable and authentic. I loved it." - Criminal Elements

 

"Stolarz’s ability to tap into a deeply emotional and authentic place gives victims a voice, while also opening up the door for understanding. This book will leave readers emotionally raw but also unable to put it down. Stolarz promises to deliver her stories in the most honest and demanding way possible, emotionally haunting her readers, while leaving them to linger deep within the pages of the story long after closing the book." - Dixon Independent Voice

 

Published: