NEED TO KNOW
- PEOPLE has an exclusive look at Jessica Knoll’s upcoming thriller Helpless
- The bestselling author, also known for novels like Bright Young Women and Luckiest Girl Alive, says her latest book is an “exploration of obsession and the confounding desire for danger in our romantic lives”
- Helpless is due out next year
A reunion between former partners takes a dark turn in Jessica Knoll’s upcoming thriller.
The bestselling author has shared the cover of her forthcoming novel, Helpless, exclusively with PEOPLE. The book is due out next year from Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Faye Heron, a Hollywood producer, is still haunted by her breakup with Henry Spalding — so much so, that their dissolution became the basis for one of her most successful projects. Twelve years later, they’ve both taken different paths, with Henry married and manning his family empire.
But when Faye and Henry’s former professor dies, they reunite at their alma mater for the funeral. To Faye’s surprise, Henry is ready with an apology about how things ended, and invites Faye back to his hotel.
Henry, however, drugs and kidnaps Faye, bringing her to his remote cabin in the mountains. During her weeklong captivity, Faye realizes there’s another mystery afoot — one that may be devastating, especially as Henry’s demands become more intense.
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Knoll, the author of acclaimed thrillers like Bright Young Women and The Favorite Sister, was particularly taken with her latest book, she explains to PEOPLE.
“They say you are supposed to write the book you want to read — Helpless is a book I want to read on repeat,” Knoll says. “It’s an exploration of obsession and the confounding desire for danger in our romantic lives, wrapped up in a murder mystery.”
“I’m completely infatuated with my main characters, Faye Heron and Henry Spalding,” the author adds. “They move me and thrill me and I want to be with them all the time, in this crooked little world they’ve created, and I hope readers feel the same.”
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Knoll is also the author of Luckiest Girl Alive, which was turned into a Netflix film starring Mila Kunis. A former editor at publications like Cosmopolitan and Self, she lives in New York City with her family.
Helpless will be published on July 7, 2026 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.
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