The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan is the latest pick for Reese Witherspoon’s popular book club.
Sullivan’s novel, published Tuesday by Knopf, follows Jane, a Harvard University archivist who returns to her Maine hometown and is hired by a woman to research the history of her house, which she believes is haunted. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus wrote of the book, “Sullivan artfully and astutely engages with difficult topics in this absorbing, affecting novel.”
In an interview with Publishers Weekly, Sullivan said her novel was inspired by a real, abandoned house that she spotted in Maine. “It was not a haunted house, per se, but it’s a house that’s haunted me,” she said. “For anyone who was ever a lover of Nancy Drew, you know you’re immediately like, ‘What happened here? I need to know everything!’”
Witherspoon announced the book’s selection on Instagram, writing, “It’s an entrancing spin on a generational novel and filled with mystery.” In a brief video accompanying the post, she said, “There’s so many mysteries inside that house. This book is really good.”
Also on Instagram, Sullivan reacted to the news that her book had been picked, writing, “@reesewitherspoon is such a force for good in the world of books. I was elated and so honored when I learned she had chosen THE CLIFFS as her July @reesesbookclub pick. Today is pub day and I am over the moon to finally be able to share this news, especially because keeping secrets is not my specialty.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
