Kathleen Barber

Kathleen Barber is a former attorney, incurable wanderer, and yoga enthusiast. Originally from Galesburg, Illinois, she is a graduate of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law. She now lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and son. Her first novel, Truth Be Told (2017, originally published as Are You Sleeping), has been adapted as a series for Apple TV+ by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine media company.

Barber's new novel is Follow Me.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:

I’m currently reading For the Best by Vanessa Lillie (releasing September 8), and I’m struggling to put it down. I love an unreliable narrator and—thus far at least—the narrator of For the Best seems as unreliable as they come. She wakes up one morning after getting blackout drunk to discover that a colleague was murdered … and her wallet was found next to the body. I loved Lillie’s debut Little Voices, and so I’m eagerly awaiting the twists she’s included in this one!

I recently read Pretty as a Picture by Elizabeth Little (releasing February 25), and I absolutely loved it. The story takes place on a movie set on an isolated island, and I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes peeks into life in the entertainment industry. Add in the suspense from the mysterious “accidents” on set and a suspicious death, and the snarky, sarcastic narrator, and I was totally hooked!

I also recently read Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald and totally recommend it! A lightning strike survivor discovers that memories are fallible, identities are fungible, and she can’t trust anyone—including herself. I loved the nuanced and dubiously trustworthy characters, dual timelines revealing decades of secrets, and a tension-packed plot, and I found it utterly addictive.

Visit Kathleen Barber's website.

The Page 69 Test: Follow Me.

--Marshal Zeringue