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Book Summary and Reviews of Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris

Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris

Anywhere You Run

A Novel

by Wanda M. Morris

  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • Published:
  • Oct 2022, 400 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

From the award-winning author of All Her Little Secrets comes yet another gripping, suspenseful novel where, after the murder of a white man in Jim Crow Mississippi, two Black sisters run away to different parts of the country...but can they escape the secrets they left behind?

It's the summer of 1964 and three innocent men are brutally murdered for trying to help Black Mississippians secure the right to vote. Against this backdrop, twenty-one year old Violet Richards finds herself in more trouble than she's ever been in her life. Suffering a brutal attack of her own, she kills the man responsible. But with the color of Violet's skin, there is no way she can escape Jim Crow justice in Jackson, Mississippi. Before anyone can find the body or finger her as the killer, she decides to run. With the help of her white beau, Violet escapes. But desperation and fear leads her to hide out in the small rural town of Chillicothe, Georgia, unaware that danger may be closer than she thinks.

Back in Jackson, Marigold, Violet's older sister, has dreams of attending law school. Working for the Mississippi Summer Project, she has been trying to use her smarts to further the cause of the Black vote. But Marigold is in a different kind of trouble: she's pregnant and unmarried. After news of the murder brings the police to her door, Marigold sees no choice but to flee Jackson too. She heads North seeking the promise of a better life and no more segregation. But has she made a terrible choice that threatens her life and that of her unborn child?

Two sisters on the run—one from the law, the other from social shame. What they don't realize is that there's a man hot on their trail. This man has his own brand of dark secrets and a disturbing motive for finding the sisters that is unknown to everyone but him...

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"The notorious 1964 murder of three civil rights activists in Mississippi provides the backdrop for Morris's stunning sophomore novel...Meticulous research about the era informs the gripping plot, which alternates between each sister's point of view. Finely sculpted characters and crisp dialogue help make this a standout. Morris is a writer to watch." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"In this viscerally frightening novel of the Jim Crow era, Morris writes a stunning, heartbreaking portrayal of being Black in the 1960s U.S. South." - Library Journal (starred review)

"From the acclaimed author of All Her Little Secrets comes a novel packed with intrigue and suspense." - Oprah Daily

"A southern setting where voting and abortion are both increasingly restricted feels…rather like today, if I'm honest. Wanda Morris, too, has noted the parallels, and there is a sense of political urgency that helps speed this thriller along." - CrimeReads

"The immensely talented Wanda M. Morris delivers an unflinching exploration of the pain and injustice of the Jim Crow South, a moving tale of sisterly devotion, and a riveting thriller all in one stellar novel. Morris writes with deep empathy and keen insight about the choices we make when we're out of choices, and how when we dig deep we find a strength and resilience we didn't know was there. Wise, riveting, and full of surprises, Anywhere You Run will keep you up past your bedtime and stay with you long after the book is closed." - Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six

"A stunning thriller and a stunning work of historical fiction. Anywhere You Run is riveting, touching and terrifying. Wanda M. Morris is a ferociously talented writer." - Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Long Weekend

"Anywhere You Run had me hooked from the first page. Wanda Morris brings 1964 to vivid, richly-textured life and populates it with unforgettable characters. It's a novel both tender and ferocious – an absolute stunner." - Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of November Road

This information about Anywhere You Run was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Wanda M. Morris

Wanda M. Morris is the acclaimed author of All Her Little Secrets, which has been praised by Karin Slaughter as "brilliantly nuanced" and reviewed by the Boston Globe, LA Times, New York Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Seattle Times, and South Florida Sun Sentinel among others. It was named as one of the "Best Books of 2021" by Hudson Booksellers and selected as the #1 Top Pick for Library Reads by librarians across the country. It was serialized in Entertainment Weekly and selected as a Marie Claire book club pick.

Wanda is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Crime Writers of Color. A corporate attorney, Wanda has worked in the legal departments of some of America's top Fortune 100 companies. She is an accomplished presenter and leader. As a former President of the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, she established a signature female empowerment program known as the Women's Initiative. She is married, the mother of three and lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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