Happiness Falls by Angie Kim follows the story of a biracial Korean American family living in Northern Virginia. The father goes on a walk one day with his son, Eugene, but only the son returns. And Eugene, who is neurodiverse and non-verbal, is unable to tell the rest of the family what happened, even if he knows the truth.
As the investigation into the whereabouts of the father unfolds, the family discovers just how little they really knew about him. They must grapple with hidden secrets and personal struggles as their carefully constructed family facade begins to fall around them.
Kim’s novel bends the structure of a whodunit mystery into an exploration of family dynamics, identity, and the pursuit of happiness.
Angie Kim, the author, moved from Seoul, South Korea, to the suburbs of Baltimore. She studied philosophy at Stanford University and attended Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Her debut novel, Miracle Creek, won the Edgar Award for mystery fiction, and was named one of the 100 best mysteries and thrillers of all time by Time Magazine.
Read reviews and interviews with the author here:
- Simon, S. (Aug 26, 2023). Angie Kim on Her Novel ‘Happiness Falls’. Weekend Edition Saturday, NPR.
- Cain, H. (Aug 18, 2023). ‘Happiness falls’ is a heart-tugger as well as a page-turner. The Washington Post.
- Reese, J. (Aug 23, 2023). A dad disappears, and his family cracks open: Fiction. New York Times.
Happiness Falls is located in the Loop Library Unwind the Mind Collection. Call Number: 813.6 K49h 2023