From the author of Writers and Lovers, The English Teacher is a drama about how we build a life from the ruins, and how easily that might slip from our grasp.

A Chicago Tribune and Publishers Weekly Best Novel

‘A domestic drama with the adrenaline-fuelled beating heart of a thriller’ - Elle

From Lily King, author of Writers and Lovers, The English Teacher is a compelling drama about the fragility of a life built from ruins and the need to protect it.

Fifteen years ago, English teacher Vida Avery arrived alone and pregnant at the elite Fayer Academy. Living on the campus off the coast of New England, she worked to become a beloved fixture of the school – and to shelter herself and her son, Peter, from a painful secret she left behind.

Then she accepts the impulsive marriage proposal of ardent widower Tom Belou, and the prescribed life Vida has constructed begins to come apart. As Peter bonds with Tom and his new step-siblings, Vida retreats further into the books she teaches. To embrace life and a chance at happiness, she will have to face the nightmares of her former self – and shed the pain she has held onto for far too long.

"A domestic drama with the adrenaline-fuelled beating heart of a thriller." - Elle

"[Lily King] has the intuitive touch of a writer whose primary interest is the inner world of her creations." - The Boston Globe

"[Lily King] writes with subtle clarity, displaying an intuitive understanding of the vulnerable psyches of teenagers, and with pinpoint perception of her characters' inner lives." - Booklist

"The heart of the story is its lovely depiction of wounded people struggling to find solace and stability in each other." - The Arizona Republic

"Moving and deeply absorbing." - Newsday

"The English Teacher has moments of real insight, some sensitive portrayals, and most significant of all, the narrative drive that testifies to a real storyteller at work . . . Ms. King is a novelist worth watching." - The Washington Times