The Woman in the Park

by Teresa Sorkin

  Sarah was just the beginning of a greater experiment.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  FROM TERESA & TULLAN

  This book would not have been possible without the support, guidance, and encouragement of many people. Thank you.

  We would like to express our gratitude to Jane Wesman who has guided us through this process with her ultimate wisdom and helped us find Beaufort Books. Thanks to Megan Trank, our amazing editor at Beaufort, whose brilliance and kindness made this journey a great experience. Eric Kampmann, whose wisdom and expertise was immensely helpful every step of the way, and the rest of the amazing team at Beaufort Books. Thanks to Kimberly Macleod who is not only a great friend but a great connector. Thank you to our producing partner Frank Rainone at Roman Way Productions who saw this as a film when Teresa was still at Weinstein and encouraged us to write the novel and flesh out the story. Thanks to Mike Powers, who Teresa has bounced ideas off of for years, and was one of her first readers.

  FROM TERESA

  I want to thank my writing partner Tullan Holmqvist who was the most perfect writing partner anyone could ever dream of.

  Thanks to some of the best friends a girl could have (in alphabetical order): Antonella Acquista, Micaela Arnaboldi, Cristina Cuomo, Madeline Cuomo, Amy Porter, Lisa Sarti, and Colette Testa, who each read the story and encouraged me to keep writing and gave me input and great advice.

  To my sister-in-law Marnie Goldfarb who is my soul sister and her boys who are the best nephews an aunt could have. And Rich Goldfarb for all your advice.

  Thanks to my mother-in-law Adrienne Barrack for pushing the book and helping spread the word faster than any sales team could. So grateful for her help. And thank you Jerry Barrack for all your support.

  Thank you to my father-in-law Fred Sorkin who was the first to buy the book when it went online and who has given me tremendous loving support. And in memory of Nancy Sorkin, even though she is no longer here, is always in our hearts and souls.

  My father Rocco Launi who was a poet and storyteller. I miss him every day. And my mother Tina and brother Jian.

  Most especially thanks to my husband Ian Sorkin for listening and reading and encouraging me every step of the way. You truly made it all possible with your support and love. You have been my rock. And my beautiful, smart, and funny children, Jaden and Isabella, who make life worthwhile each and every day.

  FROM TULLAN

  Thank you to my fabulous writing partner Teresa for a great collaboration and journey together.

  Thank you to my wonderful and loving family, especially to my joyous and amazing boys Max and Leo, my extraordinary husband Giovanni, whose beautiful music and dedication are deeply inspiring, and my truly special and marvelous sisters Malin and Linda with their precious children Sebastian, Daniel, Miles, and Elsa. I am so grateful to share this journey of life with you.

  Thank you to my supportive and wondrous friends and family, in particular my inspirational acting teacher Michael Howard and my writing group at the New York Society Library.

  To my beloved mother Carin, who passed away during the creation of this book, profoundly loving, deep, and wise; inspiring me to compassion, generosity, joy, and, most importantly, to love. We are all one.

  BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS

  GENERAL

  Which quotes or scenes did you like the best?

  Did you find the ending to be satisfying and meet your expectations of the plot? Were you expecting the final twist?

  After you finished reading, what sections of the book did you want to reread in order to spot clues you may have missed?

  Did you come away from this book wanting to read more by these authors or in this genre?

  Had you heard of Erotomania before? If so, in what way? Was it similar to Sarah’s disorder? Have you ever felt obsessed toward a love interest?

  In the past, famous psychologists and psychoanalysts have conducted experiments on their patients. How do feel about that?

  There are many women in history, as well as in literary and film history, for example Medea, Shakespeare’s Ophelia and Glenn Close’s character in Fatal Attraction, that have been connected to madness. Are there any that you identify with? Why?

  SETTING AND THEME

  Was the setting one that felt familiar or relatable to you? Why or why not?

  Did you get a sense of how Sarah experienced the city she lived in—New York?

  What was the overarching theme of the novel, and how well did the authors convey the theme? If there were multiple themes, how did they relate to each other and to the plot?

  CHARACTERS

  Did you feel Sarah was justifiable in some of her paranoia?

  Why do you think Sarah’s son Jason is so defiant? Is he angry with Sarah or is it something else? How did Sarah relate to him?

  Dr. Robin and Sarah’s relationship is quite central to the novel. Why do you think the authors chose to include the Dr.’s notes?

  Lawrence is mysterious and dangerous. Why do you think Sarah agreed to be swept away? How would you describe their relationship?

  How does Sarah’s relationship with Lawrence compare to her early relationship with Eric, before they had children?

  Did Dr. Robin’s need for control affect Sarah in more ways than just her psyche? Why do you think she kept her office so stark and impeccable? What other therapists in literature have been similar to Dr. Robin?

  Why is Sarah so upset with Eric? Is it all justified? In what way has Sarah’s jealousy affected her life?

  Sarah’s grandparents protected her from her trauma. Do you feel they did a good thing, or did it enable her in a negative way? Can you think of other ways that parents or caregivers can hurt a child while thinking they are doing the right thing?

  Why did Sarah see herself in Thérèse Raquin? Are there any literary figures you see yourself in? If so which?

  Is Sarah a likable character? Did your point of view about her change one you discovered the true nature of who she is?

  TULLAN HOLMQVIST is an investigator, writer and actor and is the coauthor of the psychological thriller novel and screenplay The Woman in the Park with producer Teresa Sorkin. Tullan’s work as a private investigator has included global fraud investigations, financial due diligence and art cases. She has a master’s degree in political science from the University of Florence; literature and language degrees from universities in France and Italy; and screenwriting and acting studies at New York University, Boston University, MH and HB Studios. Originally from Sweden, Tullan lives in New York with her composer-attorney husband Giovanni and two sons.

  TERESA SORKIN is a Television Producer with a passion for creating, writing, telling, sharing and producing great stories. She is the founder of Roman Way Productions, a production company with 32 projects in development. Teresa has produced shows and films for various networks and studios. Teresa received her degree in Marketing and Media from New York University (NYU) and Bocconi University in Milan. She was a journalist for RAI TV where she worked on entertainment and fashion hosting her own show for the network. When Teresa isn’t working on the best next story, she spends time with her husband Ian and two children.