From Emmy Award-winning writer Rachel McRady comes a vital, illuminating debut novel of a broken family uniting in the face of terrifying crisis, for fans of This is Us and Parenthood.

Six-year-old Gracie Lynn is perpetually curious and big-hearted. Convinced she knows how to save her beloved grandfather John from the “worm” that is eating his brain—a metaphor her mother once used to explain John’s dementia and sundown syndrome—she helps him break out of his nursing home, and the two disappear together on a quest to chase the sun. But what’s an adventure for Gracie is a nightmare scenario for her estranged parents, LeeAnn and Dan. There’s no way to predict where John might have taken their young daughter, or if he’s capable of keeping her safe.

Jaded beyond her years, and struggling with her own mental health, LeeAnn has no delusions about what might happen if they don’t locate Gracie soon. Dan is no less frantic, but communicating with LeeAnn isn’t easy, even under the circumstances—too much stands between the hopeful young couple they once were and the people they’ve become.

An emotionally resonant novel for fans of Fredrik Backman and Mark Haddon, Sun Seekers artfully explores the truths of parenthood, the ways in which we sometimes hurt those we love most, and the universal experience of deep loss—even when the person is still here.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Alcove Press, January 2024

• 2022 Emmy Winner, Best Entertainment News, Entertainment Tonight
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• Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper’s Book of the Week Pick
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• Entertainment Tonight’s Best Books to Read in 2024 on Cozy Winter Days

• Featured on Good Morning America

• Daily Mail’s List of Top Holiday Reads

“Magnificent . . . A beautiful tribute to the suffering and hard-earned growth of these characters.”
—Booklist 

“[An] insightful view of dementia’s impact on a family.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Acclaimed writer Rachel McRady has written a novel that spans all the emotions the heart can handle: from love and joy to fear and loss and everything in between.”
—Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper

“In her impactful debut, Rachel McRady explores the intricate dynamics of a fractured family. Through multiple perspectives, she paints a poignant portrait of the complexities of relationships that resonate with us all.”
—Jo Piazza, International bestselling author of We Are Not Like Them

“Sun Seekers is my favorite type of novel: beautifully written prose delivering deep truths about family and the nature of grief. I absolutely loved it. Sun Seekers is an incredible debut by a writer to watch.”
—Brenda Janowitz, author of The Audrey Hepburn Estate

“Rachel McRady’s debut novel depicts the fabric of family dynamics in the voices of well-developed engaging characters. The emotional connections across multi-generations are genuine and kept me turning pages until the finale.”
—Suzanne Leopold, Suzy Approved Book Reviews

“A vivid and often wise exploration of grief, told through the lens of alternating narrators in a family with a larger-than-life patriarch, and precocious, precious little Gracie, who springs him from his nursing home to have an adventure. LeeAnn, Gracie’s mother, is still grieving the loss of her own mother, and the betrayal of Dan, her husband. Throw in a gaggle of judgmental suburban mothers and we have a page-turner novel as they all rush to find Gracie before her grandfather, suffering from dementia, makes a fatal misjudgment. Sun Seekers explores how we grieve and who we love, despite our struggles to maintain a brave front in the aftermath of great loss.”
—Jaimee Wriston, author of How Not to Drown

“Sun Seekers is a heart-wrenching and evocative exploration of parenthood and grief. This profoundly emotional novel unveils the complex tapestry of love and pain that weaves through generations and delves into the depths of the human experience, deftly portraying the rawness of loss and the fragility of familiar bonds. A truly poignant story that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved, lost and found solace in the enduring power of love across generations.”
—Kalyn Fogarty, author of Everything’s Still There

“A heartfelt and heartbreaking, wise and captivating novel that I loved every word of and just couldn’t put down.”
—Carsten Henn, author of the international bestseller The Door-to-Door Bookstore

“Rachel McRady’s poignant debut novel chronicles a fractured family while spotlighting the fragility of love.”
—Susan Shapiro, NYT Bestselling Author

“A very relevant tale that will resonate with many readers. Lots of life lessons here in this multigenerational book.”
—NetGalley Reviewer

“Sun Seekers is the kind of story that grabs you from the beginning, wraps around your heart, and doesn’t let go until long after you’re done reading. Rachel McRady has written a beautiful, emotional story that is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages.”
—NetGalley Reviewer

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Dreamscape (auction)
• UK Audio: WF Howes

Foreign

• UK English: Verve Books
• UK Large Print: WF Howes