Catch the Sparrow: A Search for a Sister and the Truth of Her Murder

Catch the Sparrow is a true crime novel by Rachel Rear, the New York Times bestselling author of HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD and LOST GIRLS. It is a heartfelt and intimate reconstruction of the dark and serpentine path to solve the case of Stephanie Kupchynsky's disappearance, which was just another news item in the region where serial killers like Arthur Shawcross and the Double Initial killer had spawned. Rachel grew up in the shadow of her stepsister's legacy and reveals how a dysfunctional justice system laid the groundwork for Stephanie's murder and stymied the investigation for more than twenty years.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 17 February 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Catch the Sparrow is a true crime novel that delves into the depths of human emotions and motivations. Written by Robert Kolker, the New York Times bestselling author of HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD and LOST GIRLS, the book is a heartfelt and intimate exploration of the disappearance of Stephanie Kupchynsky.

Growing up, Rachel Rear knew the story of Stephanie's disappearance. The beautiful violinist and teacher had fled an abusive relationship on Martha's Vineyard and made a new start for herself near Rochester, NY. She was at the height of her life, in a relationship with a man she hoped to marry and close to her students and her family. And then, one morning, she was gone.

Near Rochester, a region that has spawned such serial killers as Arthur Shawcross and the Double Initial killer, Stephanie's disappearance was just another news item. But Rachel had more reason than most to be haunted by this particular story of a missing white woman: Rachel's mother had married Stephanie's father after the crime, and Rachel grew up in the shadow of her stepsister's legacy.

In Catch the Sparrow, Rachel Rear writes a compulsively readable and unerringly poignant reconstruction of the dark and serpentine path, spanning more than two decades, to try to solve the case. Obsessively cataloging the crime and its costs, drawing intimately closer to the details than any journalist could, she reveals how a dysfunctional justice system laid the groundwork for Stephanie's murder and stymied the investigation for more than twenty years, and what those hard years meant for the lives of Stephanie's family and loved ones.

Stunning, unputdownable, and deeply moving, Catch the Sparrow is a retelling of a crime like no other. It is a testament to the power of journalism and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

Weight: 450g
Dimension: 162 x 330 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780751582369