by Katie Crouch
For maybe the first time, Persephone felt a strange twinge she realized must be self-doubt. She had been an Embassy Wife for so long. Her organizational and calculation abilities were dizzying, but for years they had been put to use only to support her spouse. She had been … trailing.
And if she was perfectly honest, it was nice to trail. Nothing was ever your fault, really. You could lead without really leading. She had been proud of mastering the household, being in charge of her darlings, making up her little suite of rules and regulations for being a spouse in a foreign land. And this? This was terrifying. Could she really step up and become a government mastermind while being a mother? Could she continue her role and start a new one as a secret freedom fighter? A warrior of espionage? A spy?
Catching a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the patio door, Persephone paused to meet her own eye.
Of course she could.
But first she had to serve dinner, find a new nanny, bathe the children, oversee their homework, and take care of the laundry. She had to read to everyone, put them to bed, not have a drink, get a good night’s rest, get up, make breakfast, pack lunches, dress everyone, and get them off to school. Once that was done, she had to build a new wardrobe of whites. She had to practice her marksmanship. She had to watch for the signal, and learn the code, and find the secret compartment, and … begin her mission.
And, of course, she had to thoroughly brief Adam.
If he was going to be a halfway decent Embassy Husband, he had a lot of work to do.
Author’s Note
During recent years, my family and I had the privilege of living in Windhoek, Namibia. We found Namibia to be a stunning country. The sheer expanse of the landscape renewed my hope for our planet, while the Namibians we met, as diverse as they are, were funny, fascinating, and welcoming.
As an expatriate in a nation where few Americans reside, I was also lucky enough to befriend several U.S. State Department employees and their families. These were delightful, smart, and brave men and women who had dedicated their lives to representing and defending our nation. I admired them greatly. Admiration, however, does not make for good comedy, which is why I took many satirical liberties in the name of a story. I hope the dear friends I made in Namibia will forgive me. Making stuff up is the whole job.
Except the part about our American president at the time bungling the name of the magnificent country of Namibia and calling the entire continent of Africa a shithole. That totally happened. It was nuts.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank the great Namibian journalist Denver Kisting for his help with this novel, as well as my writing group at the American Cultural Center in Windhoek. Thanks to my expatriate sisters Janet Roscoe, Emily Schlink, and Lisa Transfeldt Atkins. Thank you to my agent, Rob McQuilkin; my editor, Emily Bell; and Grady Hendrix, my dear friend and reader. Finally, thanks to Peter for bringing me to Namibia, and to Phoebe and Roscoe for making our lives there—and everywhere—so very much fun.
ALSO BY KATIE CROUCH
Abroad
Men and Dogs
Girls in Trucks
A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katie Crouch is the New York Times bestselling author of Girls in Trucks, Men and Dogs, and Abroad. She has also written essays for The New York Times, Glamour, The Guardian, Slate, Salon, and Tin House. A former resident of Namibia and San Francisco, Crouch now lives in Vermont with her family and teaches creative writing at Dartmouth College. You can sign up for email updates here.
Thank you for buying this
Farrar, Straus and Giroux ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Summer
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Fall
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Winter
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Spring
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Author’s Note
Acknowledgments
Also by Katie Crouch
A Note About the Author
Copyright
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
120 Broadway, New York 10271
Copyright © 2021 by Katie Crouch
All rights reserved
First edition, 2021
Ebook ISBN: 9780374711368
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].
www.fsgbooks.com
www.twitter.com/fsgbooks • www.facebook.com/fsgbooks
