The first day of spring

The First Day of Spring is a breathtaking story that imbues its protagonist with a shocking authenticity, moving the reader from empathy to humor to horror to anguish and back again.

Chrissie is eight years old and has a secret: she just killed a little boy. The feeling makes her stomach bubble like soda. Her friends are sad, and the neighborhood mothers are terrified. But Chrissie is the boss around here—she's the best at handstands, she knows how to steal candy from the store without getting caught, and now she feels a sense of power she never had at home, where food is scarce and attention even more so.

Almost twenty years later, Chrissie now calls herself Julia and lives far from where she grew up. Julia is trying to be a good mother to her five-year-old daughter, Molly. She's constantly worried: about money for food and school supplies, about what other mothers think of her. Most of all, she worries that child welfare services are about to take Molly away.

That's why the threatening phone calls are so terrifying. The past is knocking at her door, and Julia fears losing the only thing she cares about: her daughter. It's time to face the truth: are forgiveness and redemption possible for someone who committed the worst of crimes?

“Tense, addictive, and driven by an unforgettable narrative voice.” - Paula Hawkins

“Fascinating and disturbing... Chrissie and Julia's voices linger in the back of your mind: visceral and wicked, sad and wonderful, all at the same time.” - The New York Times

“Tucker explores difficult subjects—cruelty, guilt, and redemption—with extraordinary compassion and refinement, in a way that resonates long after the final page.” - The Guardian

“A stunning debut... Tense? You bet. Heartbreaking? From beginning to end.” - The Washington Post

"A compelling thriller in every sense of the word, it also tackles big questions. Can society forgive the unforgivable? [...] A chilling suspense about guilt, responsibility, and redemption." - Kirkus Reviews

"A spectacular debut... The tense, meticulously detailed narrative explores the dangers of childhood trauma. Fans of intelligent psychological suspense will eagerly await Tucker's next book." - Publishers Weekly

“Gripping and important... This provocative novel is an incredibly powerful and haunting account of stolen childhood (and motherhood).” - Grazia