Saving Ruby King

Catherine Adel West

Park Row Books, Jun 22, 2021 - Fiction - 336 pages

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2020 by Ms. Magazine, USA Today Book Riot, The Rumpus, Library Journal, PureWow, The Every Girl, Parade and more.



"Forever and to the end. That's what they say instead of I love you."



When Ruby King's mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago's South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it's a devastating loss that leaves her on her own with her violent father. While she receives many condolences, her best friend, Layla, is the only one who understands how this puts Ruby in jeopardy.



Their closeness is tested when Layla's father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what is the price for turning a blind eye? In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla uncovers the murky loyalties and dangerous secrets that have bound their families together for generations. Only by facing this legacy of trauma head-on will Ruby be able to break free.



An unforgettable debut novel, Saving Ruby King is a powerful testament that history doesn't determine the present and the bonds of friendship can forever shape the future.

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - gpangel - LibraryThing

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West is a 2020 Park Row publication. Friendship, family, the church, and murder all converge with a reckoning with the past… This debut novel is set in the south ...

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - bookczuk - LibraryThing

Summer/ pandemic read. I'm trying to read more black and BIPOC authors. This book was excellent in opening my eyes to another part of this works, as well as breaking my heart for the same reason.

About the author

Catherine Adel West graduated with both her BA and MA in journalism from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her work has been published in Gay Magazine , Black Fox Literary Magazine , Five2One , Better Than Starbucks , and others. Catherine was born and raised in Chicago. Sa ving Ruby King is her debut novel.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Saving Ruby King
• Author: Catherine Adel West
• Publisher: Park Row Books, 2021
• ISBN: 0778388026, 9780778388029
• Length: 336 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / African American & Black / Urban & Street Lit; Fiction / Friendship; Fiction / Literary