The Ingenue

A Novel

By: Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Narrated by: Stephanie Willis

"Willis empowers Saskia with a righteous rage that listeners will embrace." - AudioFile Magazine (Earphones Award Winner)

"Willis’ vocal characteristics convey the repercussions of sexual abuse in a compassionate style that envelops the listener. Within the heart-wrenching storyline, the atmospheric and suspenseful tones are built and emphasized with sweeping acoustics. Willis brings a deeply emotional connection to Saskia with her intense, melodious narration."- Booklist

My Dark Vanessa meets The Queen's Gambit in this new novel of suspense about the bonds of family, the limits of talent, the risks of ambition, and the rewards of revenge.

When former piano prodigy Saskia Kreis returns home to Milwaukee after her mother's unexpected death, she expects to inherit the family estate, the Elf House. But with the discovery that her mother's will bequeathed the Elf House to a man that Saskia shares a complicated history with, she is forced to reexamine her own past—and the romantic relationship that changed the course of her life—for answers. Can she find a way to claim her heritage while keeping her secrets buried, or will the fallout from digging too deep destroy her?

Set against a post #MeToo landscape, Rachel Kapelke-Dale's The Ingenue delves into mother-daughter relationships, the expectations of talent, the stories we tell ourselves, and what happens when the things that once made you special are taken from you. Moving between Saskia's childhood and the present day, this dark, contemporary fairy tale pulses with desire, longing, and uncertainty, as it builds to its spectacular, shocking climax.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2022 Rachel Kapelke-Dale (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Exceptional. This surprising, exhilarating suspense-filled tale of revenge and redemption is hard to put down." ––Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Kapelke-Dale crafts a twisted suspenseful tale of expectations and identity, of love and vengeance, that will leave readers breathless." ––Library Journal

"Kapelke-Dale’s absorbing novel delves into the repercussions of sexual abuse, interspersing tantalizing extracts from Evie’s feminist fairy-tale retellings and fragments of Saskia’s teen years with present events that crescendo to a stunning conclusion. Aptly compared to Kate Elizabeth Russell's much-buzzed-about My Dark Vanessa, The Ingenue is poised to garner similar attention." ––Booklist

Not my favorite!!!

Started out interesting story but when put later…… annoyed. Could have been great. Hard to get through because of loss of interest.

Great read

Kept me entertained and shared a good message. I definitely recommend this one to read!

Decent story.Narration not so much

The story was interesting but so parts were contradictory and just not believable. Whenever the narrator spoke for Patrick or any man, the volume was so low I couldn’t hear it. Then is was too loud when I turned the volume up during the normal speaking parts. Very annoying.

Great tale of revenge

So engrossing— bought the book in paperback so that I could keep reading when I couldn’t listen.

Slow but then WOW!

Such a great book! At first, it moved slow- but wait for it! It’s worth the many twists that come!