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The Tribes cover art

The Tribes

Written by: Mari Howes
Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik, Piper Goodeve
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Publisher's Summary

A dark and daring debut novel exploring power, control and resilience against all odds, The Tribes tells the story of a cult member accused of a shocking crime and the lawyer who chooses to defend her.

One quiet night in a rural Vermont town, a panicked woman calls 9-1-1 on a gas station payphone to report that a newborn baby has died. Local police respond to the call and charge Heather Garner, a college drop-out who’s been a member of fringe religious community The Messiah’s Tribes since the 1990s, with the murder of her infant son. Heather’s future is left in the hands of a family who hasn’t seen or heard from her in almost 20 years. 

Abby Harris’s friends and colleagues are puzzled by her choice to take on a child homicide case, but Abby is convinced that there’s more to Heather’s story than meets the eye. Putting her own pregnancy at risk, Abby’s investigations lead her to understand that The Messiah’s Tribes may not be a peaceful, eccentric bunch of hippies, but a well-organized, exploitative criminal enterprise.

Engrossing and suspenseful, the mystery of Heather’s past is revealed piece by terrifying piece, until a jury must decide: Are Heather and her dead child just collateral damage, or is the dead-eyed woman a willing participant in the cult’s sinister agenda?

Please note: This audio contains strong language, distressing situations, and descriptions of abuse and violence that some listeners may find upsetting. Discretion is advised.

©2020 Mari Howes (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

What the critics say

“Fans of Chris Bohjalian and Liane Moriarty will love The Tribes by Mari Howes for its sharp wit, psychological acuity, and breath-stealing tension. Why a young woman joins a cult, how she escapes, and what drives her to do the worst thing a mother can imagine: these questions and how a mom-to-be lawyer confronts them will keep you up all night until every last page is turned.” (Jenna Blum, New York Times best-selling author of Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family)

"Harrowing and addictive, The Tribes delves into the vulnerability of youth and the insidiousness of cult indoctrination. With a ripped-from-the-headlines plot and irresistible narration, The Tribes is not to be missed!” (Wendy Walker, best-selling author of Don’t Look for Me and Hold Your Breath)

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Dark and twisty, but oh so good!

This story is so well written AND read by the narrators. Mari Howes has such an amazing mind and everything is so detailed and clear. It will keep you to the edge of your seat until the end. Highly recommend!

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Predictable, but performance was great!

Narrator is great, there were a few twists and frankly the story is a bit gruesome. It's an easy listen that kept me interested in how it all turned out.

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You will be surprised....

You will be surprised as to how you get sucked in to the story and can’t stop listening...By chapter 3 or 4 I was ready to return the book was not interested. But then BAM I got hooked and couldn’t stop listening. Was a very good story.

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could not put this book down!

This was such a crazy story from start to finish, you learn more about the story of Havas life as you continue and each chapter leaves you wanting to listen to the next right away!

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Great Book

This book turned out to be way better then I expected it to be! The narrator did an amazing job with the characters voices, the storyline was captivating & shocking to hear what the main character went through, along with so many more people that were involved with the religious culture. The ending was surprising! I'm glad I choose this story to listen to as I enjoyed it very much.

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