A Celebration of Books,
Writers & LIterary Excellence

Save the Date


Gaithersburg
Book Festival

May 17, 2025

10am – 6pm

Bohrer Park


Vera Kurian

Latest Title: A Step Past Darkness
A Step Past Darkness

SIX CLASSMATES. ONE TERRIFYING NIGHT. A MURDER TWENTY YEARS IN THE MAKING…

There’s something sinister under the surface of the idyllic, suburban town of Wesley Falls, and it’s not just the abandoned coal mine that lies beneath it. The summer of 1995 kicks off with a party in the mine where six high school students witness a horrifying crime that changes the course of their lives.

The six couldn’t be more different.

  • Maddy, a devout member of the local megachurch
  • Kelly, the bookworm next door
  • James, a cynical burnout
  • Casey, a loveable football player
  • Padma, the shy straight-A student
  • Jia, who’s starting to see visions she can’t explain

When they realize that they can’t trust anyone but each other, they begin to investigate what happened on their own. As tensions escalate in town to a breaking point, the six make a vow of silence, bury all their evidence, and promise to never

About Vera Kurian

Vera Kurian is a writer and scientist based in Washington, D.C. Her debut, “Never Saw Me Coming,” was an Edgar nominee and was one of The New York Times’ Best Thrillers of 2021. “A Step Past Darkness” is her second novel.

Instagram: @verakurianauthor

Twitter: @vera_kurian

Author Schedule:

Venue(s):

Dashiell Hammett Pavilion

Presentation Start Time:

12:15 pm

Presentation End Time:

1:05 pm

Signing Time:

1:15 pm