Everyone a Stranger

A young war widow is unwittingly drawn into a sinister web of intrigue and murder in this taut, unexpected, masterfully plotted historical thriller set in WWII-era Seattle, where the enemy may be closer than anyone thinks. A crafty, addictive read for fans of The Americans, Anna Pitoniak, Graham Moore, and Elizabeth Wein.

"I gobbled up Everyone a Stranger, with its ever-expanding sense of danger, its cool evocation of 1940s Seattle, and its indelible cast of characters--both shady and smart." - JESS WALTER, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Cold Millions

Washington D.C., 1943 Virginia Abrams believed the war had taken all it could from her when her husband was killed at Guadalcanal. One year later, she's in a dark, unexpected quandary--pregnant and on the run to avoid a ruthless political family that wants to erase all connections between her and the man who assaulted her.

Changing her name, Virginia moves to Seattle to start over. Against her better instincts, she's pulled into the lives of her new neighbors in an apartment complex--especially Tim, a young boy whose mother dies suddenly in a fall. Virginia fears that her whereabouts have been discovered, and she was the intended target . . .

But there are secrets between the residents too--stormy affairs, mysterious visitors, whispers and rumors. Tim is convinced there are saboteurs among them, hiding in plain sight. Virginia wants to discount his teenage imagination and her own rising paranoia, yet there's something menacing here . . .

Torn between wanting to help the boy and safeguarding her anonymity, Virginia tentatively begins piecing the puzzle together with the help of some of her neighbors. But now others are dying in an escalating series of "accidents." No one is entirely who they seem to be. No one can be trusted. And though she doesn't know it yet, her own life is hanging by the thinnest thread . . .

"A page-turning masterclass in storytelling-- historically captivating, emotionally rich, and crackling with slow-burn menace." - JAMIE FORD, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

Author: Kevin O'Brien
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Published: 09/30/2025
Pages: 416
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781496738523


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 08/04/2025

About the Author
Kevin O'Brien is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty suspense novels. Before his books landed him on the bestseller lists, he was a railroad inspector who wrote at night. He moved from the train tracks to becoming a full-time author in 1997, when his novel, Only Son, was picked up by Reader's Digest and optioned for film. Since then, his books have been translated into fourteen languages. Born and raised in Chicago, O'Brien now lives in Seattle, where he is on the board of Seattle 7 Writers, a collective of bestselling, award-winning authors. He can be found online at KevinOBrienBooks.com.