Books published by publisher Black Cat

“A lyrical, at times mysterious, and dreamy tale of family ties . . . An intriguing, modern take on a classic American landscape” (Kirkus Reviews). At once intimate and sweeping, Bottomland follows the Hess family in the years after World War I, as they attempt to rid themselves of the anti-German sentiment that left a stain on their name. But when the youngest two daughters vanish in the middle of the night, the family must piece together what happened while struggling to maintain their life on the unforgiving Iowa plains. In the weeks after Esther and Myrle’s disappearance, their siblings desperately search for them, through the stark farmlands to the unfamiliar world of far-off Chicago. Have the girls run away to another farm? Have they gone to the city to seek a new life? Or were they abducted? Ostracized and misunderstood in their small town in the wake of the war, the Hesses fear the worst. From the acclaimed author of The Quickening, “Bottomland is more than a literary mystery. It’s a trance, a poem, a lamentation, a benediction. And it’s breathtaking. As in: remind yourself to breathe” (Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers). “Hoover skillfully interweaves many of the Hess family members’ narratives. Her descriptions of the bleak rural landscape are chilling. Fans of Jim Harrison’s Legends of the Fall will enjoy the plot; Willa Cather enthusiasts will relish the setting; and Theodore Dreiser readers will savor the gritty characterizations.” —Library Journal (starred review) “There are many compelling things about Michelle Hoover’s potent new novel, Bottomland, not least of all her austere style and its visceral punch.” —The Boston Globe

The true story of the fourth-grade teacher in Dayton, Ohio, who created one of the most influential bands of our times. Devoted fans have followed Guided by Voices for decades—and critics around the world have lauded the band’s brain trust, Robert Pollard, as a once-in-a-generation artist. Pollard has been compared by the New York Times to Mozart, Rossini, and Paul McCartney (in the same sentence) and everyone from P. J. Harvey, Radiohead, R.E.M., the Strokes, and U2 has sung his praises and cited his music as an influence. But it all started rather prosaically when Pollard, a fourth-grade teacher in his early thirties, began recording songs with drinking buddies in his basement. In this book, James Greer, an acclaimed music writer and former Spin editor—who also played in the band for two years—provides unparalleled insight and complete access to the workings of Pollard’s muse.

“A brilliant coming-of-age story with an outlandish twist . . . this wonderfully weird novel is not one to miss.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review After a farming accident plunges him into a coma for six months, Frankie Hermans wakes up to discover that he’s paralyzed and mute. Bound to a wheelchair, Frankie struggles to adjust to a life where he must rely on others to complete even the simplest tasks. The only body part he can control is his right arm, which he uses obsessively to record the details of daily life in his town in Holland. But when he meets Joe—a boy who blazed into his sleepy rural town like a meteor while Frankie slept—everything changes. Joe is a centrifugal force, both magician and daredevil, and he alone sees potential strength in Frankie’s handicaps. With Joe’s help, Frankie’s arm will be used for more than just writing: as a champion arm-wrestler, Frankie will be powerful enough to win back his friends, and maybe even woo P.J., the girl who has them all in a tailspin . . . From the award-winning author of These arethe Names, Joe Speedboat is “[an] offbeat story of a group of boys searching for meaning . . .This work conjures John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany but with a lighter touch” (Library Journal). “Witty, thoughtful and surprisingly tender.” —The Independent

In the fall of 1998, four girls disappeared from Redwood, a small town just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. All of them were young. All of them were beautiful. None of them were found alive. Drew’s mother, Willow, was one of those girls.Seventeen years later, Paige, Drew’s girlfriend, disappears from school. When she’s found dead, the details of her murder are eerily similar to his mother’s. Residents fear the return of the Sleeping Beauty Strangler, and Drew’s family is thrown back into the spotlight.Things are a bit different this time around because Drew has seen the killer.What’s worse is the killer knows it.Can he untangle the details of both murders while under the watchful gaze of the killer? Can he keep his loved ones safe, or will he die before bringing the murderer to justice?