I’m incredibly excited to announce that The Returned has achieved a sweep of the trade publications by grabbing starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Review, Booklist, and now Library Journal!  I’m in a fair amount of disbelief, but thrilled all the same.  The review from Library Journal is posted below.

What if the dead came back to us on Earth? Would your loved one’s reappearance be a blessing or a curse? All over the world, people are spontaneously rising from the dead. For Harold and Lucille Hargrave this occurrence brings the return of their son Jacob, dead 50 years. While they have aged and must relearn how to parent, Jacob is still eight years old. Lucille sees this as a miracle; the void in her life has been filled. For others, Harold included, the returned inspire nothing but confusion and fear, ultimately leading to violence. As the world explodes into chaos and neighbors turn on one another, the Hargraves find themselves fighting for their new life and discovering the ties that permanently bind us across time and space. VERDICT This is a masterly first novel for Mott, previously a published poet; it speaks to many aspects of the human condition through the Hargraves’ experience, as well as short segments in the voices of returned people around the globe. Highly recommended for those who love a strong story that makes them think. It has already been optioned for television by Brad Pitt’s production company.

—Katie Lawrence, Chicago