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A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice
The sole Asian American partner at a prestigious law firm sees his professional and personal life demolished when he is put on trial for murder. Three decades later, his children reunite to uncover the truth and try to salvage what remains of their family.
Thirty years ago, John Lo, the only Asian American partner at a prestigious New York City law firm, was acquitted of the murder of an employee he was having an affair with. The repercussions of that long-ago event still haunt his adult children. Brennan, a lawyer following in her father’s footsteps in more ways than one, has always maintained that the trial got it right. Hunter, a disgruntled war correspondent whose similarities to his father run more than skin-deep, believes their father got away with murder. Their convictions have pushed them apart. Now, spurred on by their mother’s failing health, the estranged siblings decide to reconcile their differences by reinvestigating the murder to come to a definitive conclusion, and, in the process, salvage what’s left of their fragmented family.
Told in a dual timeline that moves between John’s perspective thirty years prior and Brennan and Hunter’s present-day investigation, Hollow Spaces is a moving portrait of a flawed man’s shocking fall from grace and a gripping exploration of race in corporate America, filial loyalty, ambition, and the fallout of a sensational trial for those caught in its wake.
Praise for Hollow Spaces:
“Suthammanont unspools [the mystery] with gorgeous precision. The heart of Hollow Spaces lies in the way children repeat their parents’ mistakes—and the not-so-casual racism in privileged spaces.” —Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review
“Victor Suthammanont has given us a layered, gorgeously written novel about the limits of courtroom justice and family duty. If I didn’t know for certain this was a debut, I wouldn’t believe it. Hollow Spaces is a masterful piece of fiction.” —Lori Rader-Day, award-winning author of The Death of Us
“Cerebral, sexy, and provocative, Hollow Spaces is a can’t-put-down exploration of marriage, infidelity, and murder. Every page is steeped in sophisticated commentary on the far reaching effects of violence. A smart, compelling read that pays particular attention to the nuances of family and what both brings people together and tears them apart.” —Lo Patrick, author of The Floating Girls and The Night the River Wept
“Fast-paced and suspenseful, Hollow Spaces by Victor Suthammanont exposes deep fault lines that run through a family and the American justice system. Decades after a murder acquittal that nonetheless destroyed their father, his children seek out the truth and a way forward. A compelling debut.” —Vanessa Hua, author of Forbidden City
“A delicate and devastating portrait of the limits of the American dream, deeply resonant in today’s landscape.” —Molly Odintz, Crime Reads
“An intriguing […] combination of sleuthing and character study from a talented writer. Come for the murder mystery, stay for the lyrical passages on love and loss.“—Kirkus Reviews
“Brennan and Hunter Lo, the children of a lawyer who was found innocent of murder but saw his life destroyed anyway, have spent their lives avoiding all sorts of truths, and each other. Hollow Spaces is the twisty, compelling, well-written, and human story of what happens when they join together to understand the father they lost, and the crime that ripped their lives apart.” —Jamie Harrison, author of The River View
“Attorney Suthammanont blends elements of Presumed Innocent and Serial for his intricate debut . . . a complex portrait of a broken man . . . a well-plotted human drama.” — Publisher’s Weekly
“With its strong messages about racism, sexism, jealousy, lust, and love plus deeply flawed and often unlikable characters, graphic sex, physical and psychological trauma, and a bleak view of humanity, hard-core thriller fans will find the pulse-pounding twists and unexpected turns in Suthammanont’s debut gripping.” —Booklist
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