The Ashes Know Her Name
The Ashes Know Her Name is a sweeping thriller of survival, love, and the scars terror leaves behind.
A haunting exploration of memory and the resilience of the human spirit. In this atmospheric suspense novel, Denise Nussbaum invites readers into a world where family secrets and buried trauma refuse to stay hidden.
“Set against the backdrop of the lush Maui landscape and underground lava tunnels, The Ashes Know Her Name weaves a narrative that is both sophisticated and deeply personal.”
The Ashes Know Her Name
A Novel by Denise Nussbaum
Ana Summer’s world shattered when she was just ten years old.
What should have been a peaceful birthday celebration on a southern Israeli kibbutz turned into a nightmare. In the wake of a brutal terrorist attack, Ana’s young cousin is dead, her mother has vanished without a trace, and her grief-stricken father abandons her in Hawaii to go search for the woman he lost.
Growing up on the quiet slopes of West Maui with the Akamai family, Ana finds safety, but she can't outrun her ghosts. Vowing never to let herself be vulnerable again, she builds a wall around her heart—even shutting out Kimo Akamai, the one person whose steady, quiet love has kept her grounded through it all.
Then, the devastating 2023 Lahaina wildfire strikes.
Ana and Kimo barely escape the flames. But before the embers can even cool, tragedy strikes from across the globe. News reaches them of a horrific attack in Israel: Ana’s estranged half-sister, Rachel, has been taken hostage by Hamas and trafficked across the Pacific.
Fueled by guilt and a fierce need to save what’s left of her family, Ana refuses to stand by. She joins forces with an unlikely crew of ex-Marines and former Mossad operatives, launching a high-stakes rescue mission that sweeps from the open ocean to the treacherous lava tubes beneath the islands. But to bring Rachel home, they must outsmart a ruthless billionaire who builds his empire on human suffering—and has no intention of letting them leave alive.
As danger closes in and a historic storm gathers overhead, Ana is forced to face the truths she’s spent her life running from: some wounds never fully heal, some bonds can't be broken, and sometimes survival means fighting with everything you have.
If you love fast-paced thrillers with heart, The Ashes Know Her Name is a must-read. It’s a gripping, globe-trotting story about survival and love that will keep you hooked from the very first page.
