A beautiful and gripping novel about a mother and daughter on the run from a dark and dangerous past, and a small Michigan town that may hold the key to their survival.
For Blue Lake’s entire life, she and her mother, Scarlet, have been on the run from HIM—the man whom Scarlet, a talented and enigmatic painter, insists is chasing them. But now, at fifteen years old, Blue has begun to resent the nomadic life that once seemed like an adventure. Increasingly unsure what to make of the phantom pursuer she’s never seen, she yearns to settle down in one place, to live a normal life.
It seems that Blue’s wishes might finally come true when Scarlet and Blue arrive in the beach-front town of South Haven, Michigan. She makes friends, is falling in love for the first time, and has found a piano teacher who recognizes her budding talent. But even as Blue thrives, she cannot shake her worry about her mother, who seems to be creating paintings that are increasingly difficult to understand. Scarlet, meanwhile, has very different intentions for their stay in South Haven. It was no accident that she brought them there, and, with the help of the psychoanalyst she’s sought out—Henry—she is determined to find a way to finally escape the shadow of her traumatic past, no matter the cost.
Told through the alternating voices of Blue, Scarlet, and Henry, Scarlet in Blue is a page-turning story about the enduring effects of the past, the way art can hold our lives together, and, most of all, the everlasting bond between mother and child.
Praise for Scarlet in Blue
“Beautifully drawn... The author’s lovely prose flows effortlessly... A psychological drama that is unique and captivating, making it both an impressive and engrossing novel.”
“[Scarlet in Blue] is ultimately a love story between a mother and daughter as well as an examination of how trauma shapes our lives and choices.”
“Murphy dazzles…This novel will leave readers questioning what is real and how mental health can affect generations in kaleidoscopic ways.”
“Just like a beautiful and complex painting, Scarlet in Blue pulls readers in—and then captivates them with a story that is part mystery, part thriller, and wholly gripping and fascinating. The perfect dark escape.”
“Scarlet in Blue examines family ties that bind so tightly....This story of running from abuse is beautifully suffused with the majesty of music and the chimera of art. Once you begin this tale, you will stay until the final note. ”
“I don’t think I breathed from start to finish, but Scarlet in Blue was worth every breathless moment. A haunting, heart-tugging page-turner.”
“From word one the chase is on. And it’s Jennifer Murphy’s rapid-fire delivery that sets the pace, the mysterious ‘Shadow Man’ one step behind. But it is the fluid portrait of the world Scarlet and Blue inhabit that is the real art here, and Murphy’s language is the perfect canvas. Within the mind-labyrinth, Murphy has created a work that rightly takes its place among the best novels to explore the mother-daughter relationship while offering a mystery with the riches of a meticulously crafted painting.”