**VALLEY OF THE MOMS is Barnes & Noble's book club pick for the month of June and one of People's must-read books of summer 2026!**
AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER.
STEPFORD WIVES meets BIG LITTLE LIES in this twisty thriller that uncovers the untruths, petty grievances, and local school politics underneath a seemingly quaint small town.
Hamilton, Massachusetts is one of those suburban towns that appears untouched by the outside world where stay-at-home moms wear 2ct diamond studs to the playground, where a million-dollar property is “affordable,” and where the Parent Teacher Organization is a hotbed of controversy. Sure, some people struggle to make ends meet, but residents would say discussing such ugly matters is impolite. Hamilton has been like this forever, and everyone likes it that way. Or: almost everyone.
It's not that Anna Plummer doesn't like Hamilton, but she never thought she'd be married with two young kids, comfortable, complacent…and growing more bored by the minute. So, when she realizes her second grader won't be able to attend the "Ziti with Your Sweetie" school dance because she didn’t pay for a “Premium” membership, she snaps. She sends an email to the terrifying president of the PTO—and all hell breaks loose.
One year later, Anna is found dead in the frozen Ipswich River. Left to pick up the pieces, her husband, Denny, is shaken to his core. He's no expert, but he's seen enough Dateline to know that the police think he's the main suspect. If they aren't going to get justice for Anna, he will. Told through the alternating perspectives of Anna and Denny exactly one year apart, and with a shocking concluding twist, Valley of the Moms is a gripping look at the underpinnings of grief, the social structures of wealth, and the secrets people keep—even among friends and loved ones.
"Frighteningly realistic and deeply unhinged." —PEOPLE
"Primarily known for writing about food, wine, and the restaurant industry, Selinger published her memoir, CELLAR RAT, last year. VALLEY OF THE MOMS marks her debut novel. And as BARNES & NOBLE'S June Book Club Pick and a PEOPLE must-read for summer, it's already shaping up to be the standout beach read of the summer." —PARADE
"Read it! It's great!" —CRIME READS
"VALLEY OF THE MOMS is a sharp, twisty thriller set in an affluent Massachusetts suburb where school politics can be as vicious as any crime. When Anna Plummer challenges an exclusionary PTO policy, she inadvertently sets off a chain of events that culminates a year later with her death and her husband’s determination to uncover what really happened. Told through alternating timelines and perspectives, the novel explores grief, privilege, social status, and the secrets that lurk beneath the polished surface of a seemingly idyllic community." —DEBUTIFUL
"This one is sure to make the fictional town of Hamilton, Mass. as infamous as Peyton Place." —THE BOSTON GLOBE
"A seemingly perfect New England town runs on a dark undercurrent of queen bee energy in Hannah Selinger’s engrossing suburban thriller ... Selinger uses dueling timelines to brilliant effect ... VALLEY OF THE MOMS holds no illusions about how middle-class suburbia really works—and that makes it indelibly unsettling." —APPLE STAFF PICK, JUNE
"There’s nothing more chilling than the social warfare between suburban moms ... The novel’s premise promises drama, mystery and the juicy power plays of the rich and elite." —WBUR
"In this gimlet-eyed, detailed thriller, the story of how one woman in town, Anna Plummer, chafes at the rules that seem to govern Hamilton, is juxtaposed with that of her husband after her body shows up in the river." —TOWN & COUNTRY
"James Beard Award nominee Selinger (CELLAR RAT, a memoir) makes her fiction debut with a solid suburban mystery about a woman’s struggles to fit in with her savage peers on the parent-teacher organization ... It's an entertaining diversion." —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“This will appeal to readers who appreciate a detailed suburban setting, complicated female friendships, and deliberate pacing.” —BOOKLIST
"Recommended for fans of novels full of secrets, lies, betrayal, and bread-crumb clues to how well-dressed, rich, mean mothers can behave badly." —LIBRARY JOURNAL
"What would happen if the Heathers weren't killed off? Or the Plastics didn't have a redemption arc? What if they graduated, went to college, got married and settled down? ... If you're looking for your next summer read, this is it. This twisty, suburban drama is reminiscent of Liane Moriarty's BIG LITTLE LIES, Celeste Ng's LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, and Kiley Reid's SUCH A FUN AGE, and is a refreshing take on schism happening within the American middle class." —THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
“Is there anything better than a dark thriller about suburban moms with secrets? In Hannah Selinger's beautifully written debut, a dead body is found in the frozen Ipswich River, a grieving husband becomes the prime suspect, and a cutthroat cadre of moms closes ranks. Featuring complex characters and a thrilling satiric bite, VALLEY OF THE MOMS kept me turning pages all night.”—Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times-bestselling author of THE JETSETTERS
“Unsettling, heart-pounding, and full of rich characters and deep betrayals, VALLEY OF THE MOMS will have you turning pages late into the night, and questioning how much you can really know about the women in your life.”
—Daria Lavelle, author of AFTERTASTE
“Sleek, smart, and deliciously unnerving, VALLEY OF THE MOMS peels back the glamorous veneer of privilege and perfection, exposing the dangerous illusion of having it all.” —Kelsey Cox, USA Today-bestselling author of PARTY OF LIARS
"Keenly observed, VALLEY OF THE MOMS is a tense and twisty dive into the toxic power dynamics of wealthy suburbia, where 'good' zip codes mask petty grudges, unspoken rules, and corrosive secrets. Selinger's multidimensional characters and deft use of dual timelines reeled me in and kept me guessing until the very end." —K.T. Nguyen, Anthony Award-winning author of YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID
"The best thing about you is that there are so many reasons why you probably have enemies." —Juliet Izon, author of THE ENCORE
PRE-ORDER THE THRILLER OF SUMMER 2026 RIGHT HERE