The Change: A Novel
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK
“”The Change is like a guttural rage scream (and somehow a soft, tearful hug) of a book, and I couldn’t have loved it any more.”” –Emily Henry
Big Little Lies meets The Witches of Eastwick—a gloriously entertaining and knife-sharp revenge fantasy about three women whose midlife crisis brings unexpected new powers—putting them on a collision course with the evil that lurks in their wealthy beach town.
“”A roar of rage, a pacy page-turner, I loved it with all my broken heart. Read it. You’ll love it.””–New York Times bestselling author Marian Keyes
“”Miller triumphs…THE CHANGE is that rare treat: a suspenseful story with great pacing, memorable characters, and an engaging voice. Fantastic in every way, this fierce anthem against misogyny is a smash.””–Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“”A pointed, punchy, and potent thriller…wry and clever, serious and exacting, and masterfully suspenseful.””–Booklist (starred review)
In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment…
After Nessa James’s husband dies and her twin daughters leave for college, she’s left all alone in a trim white house not far from the ocean. In the quiet of her late forties, the former nurse begins to hear voices. It doesn’t take long for Nessa to realize that the voices calling out to her belong to the dead—a gift she’s inherited from her grandmother, which comes with special responsibilities.
On the cusp of 50, suave advertising director Harriett Osborne has just witnessed the implosion of her lucrative career and her marriage. She hasn’t left her house in months, and from the outside, it appears as if she and her garden have both gone to seed. But Harriett’s life is far from over—in fact, she’s undergone a stunning and very welcome metamorphosis.
Ambitious former executive Jo Levison has spent thirty long years at war with her body. The free-floating rage and hot flashes that arrive with the beginning of menopause feel like the very last straw—until she realizes she has the ability to channel them, and finally comes into her power.
Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio of women discover a teenage girl whose body was abandoned beside a remote beach. The police have written the victim off as a drug-addicted sex worker, but the women refuse to buy into the official narrative. Their investigation into the girl’s murder leads to more bodies, and to the town’s most exclusive and isolated enclave, a world of stupendous wealth where the rules don’t apply. With their newfound powers, Jo, Nessa, and Harriett will take matters into their own hands…
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GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK
“”The Change is like a guttural rage scream (and somehow a soft, tearful hug) of a book, and I couldn’t have loved it any more.”” –Emily Henry
Big Little Lies meets The Witches of Eastwick—a gloriously entertaining and knife-sharp revenge fantasy about three women whose midlife crisis brings unexpected new powers—putting them on a collision course with the evil that lurks in their wealthy beach town.
“”A roar of rage, a pacy page-turner, I loved it with all my broken heart. Read it. You’ll love it.””–New York Times bestselling author Marian Keyes
“”Miller triumphs…THE CHANGE is that rare treat: a suspenseful story with great pacing, memorable characters, and an engaging voice. Fantastic in every way, this fierce anthem against misogyny is a smash.””–Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“”A pointed, punchy, and potent thriller…wry and clever, serious and exacting, and masterfully suspenseful.””–Booklist (starred review)
In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment…
After Nessa James’s husband dies and her twin daughters leave for college, she’s left all alone in a trim white house not far from the ocean. In the quiet of her late forties, the former nurse begins to hear voices. It doesn’t take long for Nessa to realize that the voices calling out to her belong to the dead—a gift she’s inherited from her grandmother, which comes with special responsibilities.
On the cusp of 50, suave advertising director Harriett Osborne has just witnessed the implosion of her lucrative career and her marriage. She hasn’t left her house in months, and from the outside, it appears as if she and her garden have both gone to seed. But Harriett’s life is far from over—in fact, she’s undergone a stunning and very welcome metamorphosis.
Ambitious former executive Jo Levison has spent thirty long years at war with her body. The free-floating rage and hot flashes that arrive with the beginning of menopause feel like the very last straw—until she realizes she has the ability to channel them, and finally comes into her power.
Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio of women discover a teenage girl whose body was abandoned beside a remote beach. The police have written the victim off as a drug-addicted sex worker, but the women refuse to buy into the official narrative. Their investigation into the girl’s murder leads to more bodies, and to the town’s most exclusive and isolated enclave, a world of stupendous wealth where the rules don’t apply. With their newfound powers, Jo, Nessa, and Harriett will take matters into their own hands…
D. Casey –
I loved THE CHANGE!
I had just finished reading LULA DEANS BANNED BOOK CLUB, also by Kirsten Miller, and loved it. I looked her up and saw in reviews that readers also loved THE CHANGE. Some even said it was their favorite of the two, so I had to get it. So glad I did. With all the craziness going on with women’s rights these days, I have been enjoying books where women find their power and it’s even better when they serve a bit of justice to misogynistic bozos. This book took care of that with flying colors. It was an easy read and I didn’t want to put it down. The main characters were fun, quirky, strong-willed and a bit over the top, which was fine with me. There were a few times when a character would say something that was so unexpectedly profound I wanted to mark up the book with stars and highlighting. I didn’t do that because I definitely plan on sharing the book. Before I do, I’m thinking of going back and reading it one more time. I don’t do that often. For people reading it for the first time, I suggest taking a few notes about the characters. I did get mixed up a couple of times and had to jump back to see who somebody was. Supporting characters jumped in and out of the story, but it’s good to remember who they are and how they fit in so it makes sense when they are woven back in. But then, I am a senior and my short term memory is not as sharp as it once was, so that could be just me. Word of caution – if you are easily offended by colorful language and women in non-traditional roles and situations, then go find another book. That sort of thing doesn’t bother me at all.
mz johansen –
So Interesting! Good Read!
What a tantalizing book! As the name may suggest to many of us – this is a book about “the Change” as experienced by a group of friends. The location is a wealthy enclave of the very wealthy and, if I had to guess, I would say it is is on the east end of Long Island New York which is itself a place to see and be seen by the wealthiest of the wealthy.I also felt that several of the sub-plots could have been ripped from the pages of fairly recent stories in New York Post (further back perhaps in the NYTimes). There a bit of back and forthing as the chapters flew by, but it was surely not at all difficult to see the reasoning behind the slight diversions. I thoroughly enjoyed this read – about women who find and accept their strengths as “the change” happens. A feminist tale that also delights!
Sherry Sharpnack –
Fabulous Magical Realism That Ended a Reading Slump
Harriet Osborne had the perfect life: she and her husband had a gorgeous house and both had great jobs in advertising. Then, their marriage imploded and they both disappeared. Their once pristine yard grew over w/ weeds. When Harriet finally returned to Mattauck, her hair had turned grey and wild, and she actually appeared to be cultivating the weeds in her yard! What HAPPENED to Harriet? Is she actually … a witch?Nessa James lost her beloved husband years ago; her girls are at college: and now that she’s a retired nurse, her childhood “gift” – hearing voices of dead people who need closure – has returned.Jo Levison has never been able to channel her rage and menopausal symptoms, except w/ extreme exercise, which she accomplishes daily at her business, a women-only gym. She has a pre-teen daughter and a husband who wants to write a play — but doesn’t. One night, the hot flash gets Jo out of bed, again, but this time… did she actually create a ball of fire in her hand??Nessa convinces Jo that she is hearing – and seeing – a teenage girl who needs to be found. They enlist Harriet’s help and along a deserted stretch of beach just down the hill from the most exclusive, gated, community in Mattauck they find a dead girl tied up in a plastic bag. Is this the same girl that Nessa was hearing – or is there more than one dead girl in Mattauck? The police aren’t helpful, writing the deceased teen-ager off as just another dead sex-worker, but the ladies believe there is more going on, as Nessa hears other voices after they find this one dead girl.As the ladies look to the exclusive conclave as a possible source of danger for teen-age girls on the Island, danger hits all three ladies and their families as well. Will the three survive long enough to solve the disappearances of so many girls?The plot is as layered as an onion (sorry for the cliché, but it’s true here). And of course, no one is as they seem, with one major plot twist – a betrayal of the three – really ramping up the suspense, the mystery, and the danger.I enjoyed “The Change” so much! It is full of feminine anger against the patriarchy, and reminds women that our lives aren’t actually “over” when we are past child-bearing, but could actually be coming into our own with 30+ productive years left to us.Kirsten Miller writes magical realism so very well! I loved, LOVED “Circe” [prompting me to “read” “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” for the original story to Circe (Audible).] And “The Change” lifted me out of my reading slump and reinforced my belief that a woman CAN do almost anything she wants with the proper motivation and girlfriends! 5 full stars.
katy –
Nature’s bidding at its best
Another good book by Kristen Miller. This is the second one of hers that I’ve read. It’s about three women discovering what their lives will be like with the help of each other.Finding new powers that have laid hidden or dormant until certain events happen and they’re put to use. I have definitely become a fan of Kiersten Miller’s writing style. I hesitate to say too much about this book because everyone’s reading style is also different. But if you read The Women of Wild Hill, you’re certainly going to enjoy The Change.
Beth –
Decent
Decent
Lorraine Plummer –
Fun read
Loved the main characters, but felt whiplash over book jumping back and forth over timelines! Overall though fun read with well crafted characters
Yvonne Flückiger –
Until about the middle of the book I was fascinated and liked it a lot. I thought this book was “overdue” and it was so important that somebody finally wrote about all those killings of girls and women. I also loved the idea of revenge. But in the second half I got a bit bored about the characters and the same same. Jo was getting on my nerves with her constant running and working out. Harriette got onto my nerves with her naked gardening and her smoking pot. Too many killings in the end and too many terrible billionaires.The story as such was good, but less of the same probably would have been better. It was a bit polarized and biased and very american. But it is definitely important to write more books about this “still hidden” crimes and even more books about female revenge. Therefor I give the book 4 stars.
V. O’Regan –
“Yesterday, Nessa had heard something new—a whisper that seemed to roll in with the waves. Here, a girl said. …. she knew it was a message, and she knew what it meant. Someone was lost and wanted to be found.” – ‘The Change’ by Kirsten Miller.I combined reading Miller’s adult debut with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by January LaVoy.What a surprise this novel was. From the title and striking cover art, I assumed that this was going to be a literary dystopian novel featuring women who have gone through the change. Well, I was right about its focus upon women facing middle age though they were not living in a dystopian society. What I didn’t expect was a riveting feminist crime thriller with a touch of the paranormal running through it.The novel focuses upon three women living in Mattauk, New York, each coming to terms with entering a new phase of their lives.On the cusp of fifty Harriet Osborne has seen her marriage and career implode. She hasn’t left her house in months and her behaviour has become increasingly eccentric, as she develops a new relationship with nature.Nessa James is a widow now living alone since her daughters have left for college. She has begun to hear the voices of the Dead, an ability that has often manifested in her family. When she was twelve her grandmother had told her: “one day your life will grow quiet, and that’s when you’ll be able to hear them …my aunt used to say, the gift arrives after the curse ends.” The voice she has been increasingly aware of leads her to the Osborne house and a meeting with its owner, Harriet.Finally there is Jo Levison, who for thirty years has been at war with her body, now she discovers that her hot flushes and rage can be channeled into a powerful weapon. She also has recently opened Furious Fitness, a gym for women only. It’s where she meets Nessa and later Harriet and they strike up a friendship.When Nessa’s voices lead the trio to the abandoned body of a teenage girl, the police quickly write off the victim. So the women undertake their own investigation and uncover a sinister conspiracy protected by a world of wealth and privilege. Will these three women be able to use their newly discovered abilities to avenge the innocent and punish the guilty?I couldn’t wait to find out and zoomed through this brilliant novel just loving it.With respect to the audiobook, American actor January LaVoy has narrated an impressive number of audiobooks. I have enjoyed her reading of quite a few titles across a number of genres. Sometimes I find American accents rather grating, though I found her voice very easy to listen to.Overall, I found this an engaging read that was almost impossible to put down. I was quite invested in the lives of Harriet, Jo, and Nessa and was cheering on their battle against the ingrained misogyny they encounter. I appreciated Kirsten Miller’s storytelling and her skilful blending of genres.Highly recommended.
Nadya –
I’m really enjoying this feminist leaning fiction. It has a kitchen witch, a medium, a badass boss who are killing it! lolJust a fun read.
sharyn –
Everything interesting about this book is in the first couple of chapters, lots happens after that but nothing really progresses and the “twist” is obvious. Some of the writing and structure is quite good, particularly the pov intros, but the rest is clumsily Chekhovian. I finished it because I enjoyed the wish fulfilment aspects.
Ms C J Robinson –
I hadn’t had any prior notice of this book, I took a punt and was pleased I did. I thought it was an original story, well written and captivating. Great characters. Story touches on themes of menopause, murder and mystery!