A couple of things are drawing me to this book beyond the excellent flow of the writing. First, the synopsis reminds me of the John Boyne novel A Ladder to the Sky, which I absolutely loved! Second, the writing retreat is set in Vermont, where I lived for over half my life (mud seasons and all). I thought the initial pacing of introducing the characters was perfect, and you could definitely discern a sense of foreboding by the end of this sample.