Release date: January 12, 2021
Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Books-A-Million, iBooks, Hudson Booksellers, Simon & Schuster, Bookshop.org, IndieWire, Kindle, Google Play, Libro.fm

"What Could Be Saved is a delicious hybrid of mystery, drama, and elegance: rich with detail, lush in language, and capable of keeping you on the edge of your seat." —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things

Bangkok, 1972: The Vietnam War rages a short distance away, but the Prestons, an American family living in the center of Bangkok, are blissfully unaffected. Elegant, formidable Genevieve Preston is the consummate hostess and support to her husband Robert in his firm’s humanitarian efforts in Northern Thailand. She raises their three children, Beatrice, Philip and Laura, with the help of a cadre of servants, striving for a semblance of the life they would have had in the U.S.: ballet and riding lessons, impeccable parties, a beautifully kept home. In truth, Robert works for American intelligence, Genevieve finds herself drawn into a passionate affair, and their serene household is vulnerable to unseen dangers. Their life is shattered one day when eight-year-old Philip disappears.

Washington, DC, 2019: Laura Preston, a reclusive artist perpetually at odds with her elder sister Beatrice, is contacted by a stranger who claims to be their brother Philip, now missing for decades. Laura ignores Bea’s warnings of a scam, and flies to Thailand to see if it can be true. But meeting him in person leads to more questions than answers.

Alternating between past and present as all of the secrets are revealed, What Could Be Saved is an enthralling, unforgettable novel about a family shattered by loss and betrayal, the possibility of redemption, and the beauty that can exist even in the midst of brokenness.

Advance Praise for What Could Be Saved



“Superb . . . . Schwarz is a remarkable storyteller, juggling many characters, and the seamless alternating chapters . . . gradually deepen the reader’s understanding of the past and present. Schwarz’s stellar work is riveting.” --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A harrowing tale of the lies of omission and the lies of commission that can break a family apart, What Could Be Saved is a delicious hybrid of mystery, drama, and elegance: rich with detail, lush in language, and capable of keeping you on the edge of your seat. " —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things

“Gripping . . . A richly imagined page-turner that delivers twists alongside thought-provoking commentary.” - Kirkus Reviews

"What Could Be Saved transported me. Liese O'Halloran Schwarz’s exquisite and memorable writing has me still thinking about the ways in which the past influences the present, the complexities of family life, and the ways we negotiate challenges, tragedies, and secrets." —Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

"Immersive, profoundly moving, and gorgeously told, What Could Be Saved tells the story of one family’s lost then rediscovered son, exploring both cause and consequence with insightful empathy. With a cast of vivid characters, a captivating story, and a fluid style, What Could Be Saved is an unforgettable reading experience, one to savor and then share with everyone you know." —Laura Sims, author of Looker

"A gripping story of a family unraveling and the sibling love that ultimately endures. A great read.” —Jessica Francis Kane, author of Rules for Visiting