Megan Abbott

SCN2A encodes a voltage-gated sodium channel (designated NaV1.2) vital for generating neuronal action potentials. Pathogenic SCN2A variants are associated with a diverse array of neurodevelopmental disorders featuring neonatal or infantile onset epilepsy, developmental delay, autism, intellectual disability and movement disorders. SCN2A is a high confidence risk gene for autism spectrum disorder and a commonly discovered cause of neonatal onset epilepsy. This remarkable clinical heterogeneity is mirrored by extensive allelic heterogeneity and complex genotype-phenotype relationships partially explained by divergent functional consequences of pathogenic variants. Emerging therapeutic strategies targeted to specific patterns of NaV1.2 dysfunction offer hope to improving the lives of individuals affected by SCN2A-related disorders. This Element provides a review of the clinical features, genetic basis, pathophysiology, pharmacology and treatment of these genetic conditions authored by leading experts in the field and accompanied by perspectives shared by affected families. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

SCN2A encodes a voltage-gated sodium channel (designated NaV1.2) vital for generating neuronal action potentials. Pathogenic SCN2A variants are associated with a diverse array of neurodevelopmental disorders featuring neonatal or infantile onset epilepsy, developmental delay, autism, intellectual disability and movement disorders. SCN2A is a high confidence risk gene for autism spectrum disorder and a commonly discovered cause of neonatal onset epilepsy. This remarkable clinical heterogeneity is mirrored by extensive allelic heterogeneity and complex genotype-phenotype relationships partially explained by divergent functional consequences of pathogenic variants. Emerging therapeutic strategies targeted to specific patterns of NaV1.2 dysfunction offer hope to improving the lives of individuals affected by SCN2A-related disorders. This Element provides a review of the clinical features, genetic basis, pathophysiology, pharmacology and treatment of these genetic conditions authored by leading experts in the field and accompanied by perspectives shared by affected families. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

'Sharp, shocking, beautiful and brilliant. El Dorado Drive is a thrilling, clever and powerful story of family, class, money and morality. Megan Abbott is a phenomenal storyteller' CHRIS WHITAKER'Suspenseful, beautifully written and, quite simply, exquisite' GILLIAN FLYNN'A smart, twisty, and riveting family drama' KARIN SLAUGHTER'A dark, satisfying delight' IRISH TIMESThe thrilling new novel from bestselling writer Megan Abbott: a story about three sisters who join an exclusive women's club which promises to empower its members, but will actually put them in mortal danger...Pam, Debra and Harper are three sisters who grew up in Detroit when the city was a boom town thanks to the auto industry. Now in mid-life, their lives have faltered in different ways, mirroring the fortunes of their city. Debra's husband needs expensive medical treatment. Pam is in the middle of a nasty divorce. And Harper has a big debt which is also a big secret. In desperate need of money, support and just some fun, the three sisters join The Wheel, an exclusive women's club that promises financial security. As The Wheel turns, the money flows, the stakes get higher - and then a shocking murder tears everything apart. El Dorado Drive is a nail-biting, brilliantly dark story about class, money, women in mid-life, and the decline of the American dream.'Tense, chilling and beautifully written, El Dorado Drive is an absolute knockout' HARLAN COBEN'Suspenseful as all hell but also beautifully observed' DENNIS LEHANE'An incisive evisceration of the American Dream, served up as a noirish novel about sisters, envy, and innocence. Exhilarating, explosive and hugely entertaining' SARAH HILARY

Named a Best Book of Summer by The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, CrimeReads, and more From the New York Times bestselling author of The Turnout comes a simmering, atmospheric novel of friendship and betrayal, following a women-led pyramid scheme in suburban Detroit. "Abbott is a superstar of the suspense genre." --NPR All I want is to be innocent again. But that's not how it works. Especially not after the Wheel. The three Bishop sisters grew up in privilege in the moneyed suburbs of Detroit. But as the auto industry declined, so did their fortunes. Harper, the youngest, is barely making ends meet when her beloved, charismatic sister Pam--currently in the middle of a contentious battle with her ex-husband--and her eldest sister, Debra, approach her about joining an exciting new club. The Wheel offers women like themselves--middle-aged and of declining means--a way to make their own money, independent of husbands or families. Quickly, however, the Wheel's success, and their own addiction to it, leads to greater and greater risks--and a crime so shocking it threatens to bring everything down with it. Megan Abbott turns her keen eye toward women and money in El Dorado Drive, a riveting story about power, vulnerability, and how desperation draws out our most destructive impulses.

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott, a chilling and compulsive novel about a family holiday that takes a terrifying turn.A GUARDIAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023'Splendidly tense and atmospheric - a contemporary Rebecca' MAIL ON SUNDAY'A novel of almost unbearable tension' IRISH TIMES'Stunningly twisty' ASHLEY AUDRAIN, author of The Push*******************************************************************Newly married and with a baby on the way, Jacy has everything she ever wanted. When she and her husband, Jed, go to visit his father in his remote cottage, Jacy feels bathed in love by Dr. Ash, if less so by his housekeeper, the enigmatic Mrs. Brandt.Then Jacy has a health scare. Swiftly, all eyes are on Jacy's condition, and whispers about Jed's long-dead mother seem to be intruding upon the present. As the days pass, Jacy feels trapped in the cottage, her body under the looking glass. But are her fears founded or is this -as is suggested to her-a stubborn refusal to take necessary precautions to protect her unborn child? The dense woods surrounding the cottage are full of dangers, but are the greater ones inside?'Abbott ratchets up the menace towards an unexpected ending in a claustrophobic chiller about how men deny women agency' GUARDIAN'Sultry, subversive, shades of Rebecca ... I loved it' HARRIET TYCE, author of It Ends at Midnight'Feverish, razor sharp, and pulsing with dread' RILEY SAGER, author of The House Across the Lake'Spectacular. Her best yet. Kind of Rosemary's Baby meets Rebecca. Nobody, but nobody does creeping dread like she does' SAM BAKER The Turnout by Megan Abbott was a New York Times bestseller in August 2021

An NPR Best Book of the Year "Beware the Woman is Rebecca wedded to The Handmaid's Tale . . . along with the feverish psychological twists and turns that Abbott's novels are celebrated for."--Maureen Corrigan, NPR Honey, I just want you to have everything you ever wanted. That's what Jacy's mom always told her. And finally, Jacy did. Newly married and with a baby on the way, Jacy and her husband, Jed, embark on their first road trip together to visit his father, Dr. Ash, in Michigan's far-flung Upper Peninsula. The moment they arrive at the cottage snug within the woods, Jacy feels bathed in love by the hospitable Dr. Ash, if less so by his house manager, the enigmatic Mrs. Brandt. But their Edenic first days take a turn when Jacy has a health scare. Swiftly, activities are scrapped, and all eyes are on Jacy's condition. Suddenly, whispers about Jed's long-dead mother and complicated family history seem to eerily impinge upon the present, and Jacy begins to feel trapped in the cottage, her every move surveilled, her body under the looking glass. But are her fears founded or is it simply paranoia, or cabin fever, or--as is suggested to her--a stubborn refusal to make necessary precautions? The dense woods surrounding the cottage are full of dangers, but what if the greater ones are creeping inside?

The Puget Sound region is beautiful, lush with green trees, sun-sparkled waters, wide-open spaces and white-capped mountains. It's also rich with darkness, gunmetal gray skies, rain-slicked streets, and deep shadows that give cover to its darkest secrets. Small wonder that this corner of America is a high-demand lifestyle destination - and, not so long ago, the serial killer and Sasquatch-conspiracy capital of the country. The Killing Rain captures that delicious dichotomy in all its deliciously dark glory, through short stories ranging from the cozy to the hardboiled, all charged with depicting Seattle as a real or imagined place. These crime tales have been collected in conjunction with "Seattle Shakedown" - the name we've given to the return of Left Coast Crime to the Pacific Northwest. It takes place from April 10-14 in Bellevue, Washington, just a hop and skip from Seattle across Lake Washington. And, with enticing forewords from LCC Guest of Honor Megan Abbott and top-rank thriller author Jennifer Hillier, The Killing Rain will be the perfect shivery companion for what's (almost) sure to be the Seattle area's shivery early-spring weather. Edited by Jim Thomsen, who grew up on an island near Seattle and went to boarding school in the shadows of the nearby Green River, at a time America's most prolific serial killer was just getting started. Coincidence? Good crime fiction doesn't allow for it

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott, a chilling and compulsive novel about a family holiday that takes a terrifying turn.

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott, an eerie and prescient novel about a family outing that takes a far-too-literal turn. Honey, I just want you to have everything you ever wanted. That's what Jacy's mom always told her. And Jacy felt like she finally did. Newly married and with a baby on the way, Jacy and her new husband Jed embark on their first road trip together to visit his father, Doctor Ash, in Michigan's far-flung Upper Peninsula. The moment they arrive in the cozy cottage in the lush woods, Jacy feels bathed in love by the warm and hospitable Doctor Ash, if less so by his house manager, the enigmatic Mrs. Brandt. But their Edenic first days take a turn when Jacy has a health scare. Swiftly, vacation activities are scrapped, and all eyes are on Jacy's condition. At the same time, whispers about Jed's long-dead mother and complicated family history seem eerily to be impeding upon the present. As the days pass, Jacy begins to feel trapped in the cottage, her every move surveilled, her body under the looking glass. But are her fears founded or is it paranoia, or cabin fever, or--as is suggested to her--a stubborn refusal to take necessary precautions? The dense woods surrounding the cottage are full of dangers, but are the greater ones inside?

An NPR Best Book of the Year By the "master of thinly veiled secrets often kept by women who rage underneath their delicate exteriors" (Kirkus Reviews), Beware the Woman is Megan Abbott at the height of her game. Honey, I just want you to have everything you ever wanted. That's what Jacy's mom always told her. And Jacy felt like she finally did. Newly married and with a baby on the way, Jacy and her new husband, Jed, embark on their first road trip together to visit his father, Dr. Ash, in Michigan's far-flung Upper Peninsula. The moment they arrive at the cottage snug within the lush woods, Jacy feels bathed in love by the warm and hospitable Dr. Ash, if less so by his house manager, the enigmatic Mrs. Brandt. But their Edenic first days take a turn when Jacy has a health scare. Swiftly, vacation activities are scrapped, and all eyes are on Jacy's condition. Suddenly, whispers about Jed's long-dead mother and complicated family history seem to eerily impinge upon the present, and Jacy begins to feel trapped in the cottage, her every move surveilled, her body under the looking glass. But are her fears founded or is it simply paranoia, or cabin fever, or--as is suggested to her--a stubborn refusal to take necessary precautions? The dense woods surrounding the cottage are full of dangers, but are the greater ones inside?

A "shocking and perfect" bestseller about family and ambition from the award-winning author of Dare Me and The Turnout (New York Times Book Review​). How far will you go to achieve a dream? That's the question a celebrated coach poses to Katie and Eric Knox after he sees their daughter Devon, a gymnastics prodigy and Olympic hopeful, compete. For the Knoxes there are no limits -- until a violent death rocks their close-knit gymnastics community and everything they have worked so hard for is suddenly at risk. As rumors swirl among the other parents, Katie tries frantically to hold her family together while also finding herself irresistibly drawn to the crime itself. What she uncovers -- about her daughter's fears, her own marriage, and herself -- forces Katie to consider whether there's any price she isn't willing to pay to achieve Devon's dream. From a writer with "exceptional gifts for making nerves jangle and skin crawl" (Janet Maslin), You Will Know Me is a breathless rollercoaster of a novel about the desperate limits of parental sacrifice, furtive desire, and the staggering force of ambition.

From the award-winning author of The Turnout and Dare Me: a "mesmerizing psychological thriller" about a teenage girl who disappears during a 1980s suburban summer (Los Angeles Times). Thirteen-year old Lizzie Hood and her next door neighbor Evie Verver are inseparable. They are best friends who swap bathing suits and field-hockey sticks, and share everything that's happened to them. Together they live in the shadow of Evie's glamorous older sister Dusty, who provides a window on the exotic, intoxicating possibilities of their own teenage horizons. To Lizzie, the Verver household, presided over by Evie's big-hearted father, is the world's most perfect place. And then, one afternoon, Evie disappears. The only clue: a maroon sedan Lizzie spotted driving past the two girls earlier in the day. As a rabid, giddy panic spreads through the Midwestern suburban community, everyone looks to Lizzie for answers. Was Evie unhappy, troubled, upset? Had she mentioned being followed? Would she have gotten into the car of a stranger? Lizzie takes up her own furtive pursuit of the truth, prowling nights through backyards, peering through windows, pushing herself to the dark center of Evie's world. Haunted by dreams of her lost friend and titillated by her own new power at the center of the disappearance, Lizzie uncovers secrets and lies that make her wonder if she knew her best friend at all.

The new thriller, set in the hothouse world of a ballet school, from the multi-award-winning writer Megan Abbott, 'the perfect storyteller - compelling, confounding and unconventional' (VAL MCDERMID).

"Impossible to put down, creepy and claustrophobic. It's 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane' in ballet shoes." --Stephen King Best Book of the YearNPR - Wall Street Journal - Boston Globe - Library Journal - CrimeReads - LitReactor - Air Mail Longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize A TODAY Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club PickAn Instant New York Times BestsellerNew York Times bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott's exquisite and disquieting new novel, "dark and juicy and tinged with horror" (The New York Times Books Review), set against the hothouse of a family-run ballet studio. With their long necks and matching buns and pink tights, Dara and Marie Durant have been dancers since they can remember. Growing up, they were homeschooled and trained by their glamorous mother, founder of the Durant School of Dance. After their parents' death in a tragic accident nearly a dozen years ago, the sisters began running the school together, along with Charlie, Dara's husband and once their mother's prized student. Marie, warm and soft, teaches the younger students; Dara, with her precision, trains the older ones; and Charlie, sidelined from dancing after years of injuries, rules over the back office. Circling around one another, the three have perfected a dance, six days a week, that keeps the studio thriving. But when a suspicious accident occurs, just at the onset of the school's annual performance of The Nutcracker--a season of competition, anxiety, and exhilaration--an interloper arrives and threatens the sisters' delicate balance. Taut and unnerving, The Turnout is Megan Abbott at the height of her game. With uncanny insight and hypnotic writing, it is a sharp and strange dissection of family ties and sexuality, femininity and power, and a tale that is both alarming and irresistible.