The Ascent

“[The Ascent] will appeal to readers seeking emotional depth and strong character development. . . . This isn’t about the cult, but rather the psychological aftermath of that traumatic, ultimately isolating experience. And Buccola does a wonderful job of capturing that space.”—The Washington Post

“The Ascent is a parable for these days, where cults and conspiracy theories abound, where loyalties shift seemingly on a whim and it is all documented automatically—if not always factually—on social media.”—BookPage

“Allison Buccola flips the script on typical cult thrillers by zeroing in on what comes next—the long shadow of survival. . . . The final twist is a jaw-dropper, recontextualizing everything that came before. Gripping, emotional and layered, Buccola’s novel is a standout thriller with something deeper on its mind: how the past doesn’t just haunt you, it reshapes you.”—The Seattle Times

“Unsettling . . . People have long been fascinated with cults, and this twisty thriller will absolutely appeal.”—Library Journal

“A fine fictional thriller about a cult whose members all suddenly vanish in Pennsylvania . . . This one is a real page-turner.”—The Charlotte Observer

“The mystery at the heart of this novel is irresistible: How could fifteen people, all part of a doomsday cult, simply vanish one morning without a trace? The Ascent follows the only member left behind as she struggles to protect herself and her child from the trauma of her past and the dangers of her present. I tore through this book and was genuinely shocked by its ending!”—Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

“I read this enthralling psychological thriller in one fell swoop. Every time I thought I would put it down, it sucked me back in and I lost an entire night of sleep. The Ascent is an intense examination of motherhood, trauma, marriage, and our fascination with cults. . . . I loved it.”—Jo Piazza, internationally bestselling author of Everyone Is Lying to You

“I’ve always been a hard-core fan of Allison Buccola, and The Ascent takes me over the top with one of the most cleverly executed and original thriller plots I’ve read in a long time. Buccola’s delicate writing is masterfully sneaky—her soulful young protagonist is holding your hand in the dark, then snatches it away as you race to the twisty conclusion.”—Julia Heaberlin, internationally bestselling author of Night Will Find You

“A knife-sharp look into the psyche of a cult survivor who hasn’t come to terms with the events of her past, this is a triumph of a book. Poignant and twisty, layered and tense, I was obsessed with knowing how all the loose threads inevitably tied together in the end.”—Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of Only If You’re Lucky

“An irresistible thriller . . . The Ascent is a gripping and fascinating look at life after a cult, packed with reasons to fly through the pages.”—Megan Collins, author of Cross My Heart