Our Kind of Game

A gifted new suspense writer makes her sizzling debut with this serpentine tale exploring all the ways in which men enact violence on women, how women try to reclaim their own sense of self, and the lingering effects on their children’s lives.

2019. Stella Parker has the life she’s always wanted: a loving husband, two happy children that she gave up her thriving law career to raise, and a beautiful house in the tony suburbs of Washington, DC. But when her neighbor Gwen shows up at her door, claiming to know things about her, Stella’s life is thrown into turmoil and she’s forced to reckon with the dark secret upon which she’s built her life.

1987. Julie Waits yearns to be a cheerleader—a gateway to a world of normalcy with best friends and sleepovers, and an escape hatch from life with her widowed mother, the terrible men she attracts, and the upheaval caused by their abrupt and constant moves. But when her mother decides those relationships are over, the past becomes a forbidden subject that Julie can never revisit.

As Stella probes deeper into what brought Gwen to her door, the answer—and who Julie is to her—become increasingly, terrifyingly, clear.

Filled with shocking twists and turns, this is a book that both asks what it means for a woman to be in control of her life while also highlighting the impact of small daily violences upon women, and the connection between physical and psychological harm.

About the Author

Johanna Copeland is a native Oregonian and former corporate attorney who primarily practiced in New York City. Her writing has been featured in various publications including the Washington Post, XoJane, Stonecoast Literary Review, and Literary Mama. She currently lives in McLean, Virginia and visits her college-age children as often as they will allow. She has one child still at home who likes frequent walks, chasing balls and sleeping on the couch while Johanna writes.

Reviews

"With expertly timed reveals and plenty of thorny insights into the causes and consequences of gender-based violence, this first-rate suspense novel thrills and provokes in equal measure. It’s a must-read." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A riveting and suspenseful debut. Copeland’s contemporary take on the balance of power in relationships, and the desire for control, is not to be missed.” —New York Times and #1 International Bestselling Author, Karin Slaughter

"With elaborate plotting, richly drawn characters, and razor-sharp social commentary with a fresh take on the perils of being a woman, Our Kind of Game is a wholly engrossing, and darkly mesmerizing suspense! I couldn't put it down!" —May Cobb, author of A Likeable Woman

“If the brains behind Ginny & Georgia and The Feminine Mystique had a baby, she would look a whole lot like Johanna Copeland's Our Kind of Game. Copeland explores the many ways marriage, motherhood, and generational trauma shape women via a wild vigilante fantasy that will keep readers guessing until the incredible, jaw-dropping end.”  —Colleen McKeegan, author of The Wild One

"Johanna Copeland’s Our Kind of Game is at the same time a dark, compelling thriller and a nuanced examination of the roots of female rage. Stella Parker’s life may look perfect from the outside, but Copeland deftly reveals the hollowness of suburban privilege even as Stella faces how far she might have to go to save her family. Most of all, this novel is a daring and perceptive look at motherhood and caregiving: its anxiety, its loneliness, and its fierce and savage strength." —Polly Stewart, author of The Good Ones

Dimensions: 15.24 x 1.73 x 22.86 cm