Trigger Warning

by Jacinda Townsend

A new novel about the enduring trauma of police brutality by the award-winning author of Mother Country

She’d gotten no trigger warning. And her entire life, she wanted to scream now, had deserved a trigger warning.

Early in life, Ruth survived a series of devastating events: Her little brother died from a childhood illness, her mother died of grief, and then her father was shot by the police right in front of their home. In the years following her father’s murder, Ruth pushes her past underground. She changes her name and moves to Kentucky, marries a man named Myron, and together they raise a kid. It’s been two decades, and she is, by outside measures, living a good life—but why doesn’t it feel good? When her marriage comes to a sudden end, their house burns down in the middle of the night, and she learns that her estranged sister has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Ruth is jolted back into action. She flees again, this time back to her home state of California, with her nonbinary teenager in tow, perhaps ready at last to face her pain and retrieve her former self.

Searing, surprisingly witty, and deeply human, Trigger Warning is a novel about the durational aftermath of anti-Black police violence. Through the perspectives of Ruth and Myron, and those of their friends and their child, Townsend explores divorce and desire, the heartbreaking brevity of parenting, the push and pull of old friendships, and the possibility, after incredible trauma, of reconnecting to what makes us feel alive.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Race

360 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

Jacinda Townsend grew up in Southcentral Kentucky. She studied at Harvard University and Duke University Law School before receiving her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Since receiving her MFA she has been a Fulbright fellow to Côte d’Ivoire, a Carol Houck Smith fiction fellow at the University of Wisconsin, and a Hurston-Wright Award finalist. She lives in Bloomington, Indiana and teaches creative writing at Indiana University.

Reviews

[Jillian B]

By the time Ruth graduated high school, she had already lost three close family members: her little brother, to illness; her mother, to a sudden medical event; and her father, to a traumatic police shooting. So when it’s time to go to university, she cuts nearly all ties to her past—including her relationship with her big sister. The new Ruth, living on the other side of the country, has a new last name, a new backstory, and no siblings.

But running from trauma never lasts. Decades later, now a mom in her late forties, Ruth’s marriage has crumbled and she’s fighting over custody of her kid, Enix. She gets word that her sister now has MS, and decides it’s time to reestablish contact. So she grabs Enix and hits the open road, finally heading home. And her ex-husband must face the fact that he never knew the real Ruth.

This was a really interesting look at the way people are shaped by trauma. Ruth is a sometimes unlikeable character, and not in the trendy “unhinged, morally grey woman” way. Rather, her actions are those of someone who dealt with unspeakable things at a young age and has never healed or really let anyone else in. The interpersonal dynamics in this book —between Ruth and her best friend, her husband, her child—all show what it’s like to be this person who hasn’t processed their feelings about the most meaningful thing that ever happened to them.

This is a serious read with moments of tension-breaking humour. I would for sure recommend it to lit fic fans.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me access to an eARC!

[Ten Cats Reading]

Final Review:

I really wanted to know what a story with this title would be like. I'm glad I took the chance, even if it didn't work out for me.

I didn't like the audiobook narrator here. I felt she over-inflicted, lilting upward on almost every sentence. This was distracting for me.

My Favorite Things:

✔️ This story starts out with a character who disparages trigger warnings and thinks people suffering from PTSD are fragile. But these ideas were delivered with such force, I thought the narrating character might change in this mindset, so I stuck it out. *edit I didn't get what I hoped. The ableism is just ableism.

✔️ I like the way the themes come together -- violence, trauma, and divorce intersect often.

Content Notes: ableist language, internalized ableism, racism, institutional racism, police shooting, murder, corruption, divorce,

Thank you to Jacinda Townsend, Highbridge, and NetGalley for an advance audio copy of TRIGGER WARNING. All views are mine.

[Annie Tate Cockrum]

Feels similar to All Fours in that it’s a midlife coming of age story, they also both involve road trips - the meat of both books is quite different though. In Trigger Warning we get multiple povs but I would say our main character is Ruth, a woman who’s going through a divorce while also trying to grieve from her childhood. Ruth’s been lying to everyone in her life about the circumstances of her childhood and it all catches up with her once they start to go through a divorce. It’s a book about family, motherhood, family history, and much more. Thanks to Graywolf for sending me this advanced copy and I’m looking forward to the pub date on September 16th.

[Andre(Read-A-Lot)]

Amazing prose. A bit of an unconventional novel. At times reads like a psychological examination of the main character, Ruth. We get her thoughts, feelings, memories, grief, interior monologue, and so much emotion. Clearly the star of this book, is the writing. Jacinda Townsend has a way of pulling you into the pages and making you pay attention. Much of the novel is from Ruth’s perspective and her way of seeing the world. She is fraught with grief, due to the loss of her brother, mother and seeing her father gunned down by police in the driveway. Add to that a house fire, where she loses everything, it’s easy to see how trauma takes center stage. Rather than deal with the trauma and grief and process her way through it, she attempts to remake herself and even creates a new back story as to how her parents died. Poor Myron becomes husband to Ruth and together they produce a child, Annie who transitions to Enix, and from the mouth of babes, perhaps provides readers with the clearest plainest exploration of their parents. Yes, bizarre, right?

“Ruth followed Myron to the door and watched him walk past the nurses' station, take a left, and disappear behind the wall of the elevator bank. Bridges always froze before roadways, she thought. They would stop getting along, and then lose content altogether. She sprawled on the hospital couch with one of her legs bent over its arm in a way that made her feel like she was growing out of the blue pleather, as if the sofa was some sort of Ruth planter.
When Enix woke, Ruth would have to tell them. She'd tell them that guess what, they didn't have to put laundry away when they got home because now, they had no laundry. And no home.”

An unusual construction but somehow it all works out. You will close the book and continue thinking about Ruth days after book is shelved away.

[Ellen Ross]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 10/10 novel with a focus on how police brutality can traumatize you. I was a huge fan of Ruth’s calendar. Not only has she been through so much in childhood but the hits keep on coming when she tries to start anew and ends up dealing with an ending marriage and another tragedy.
The way Ruth chooses to face her demons head on is inspiring. The themes in this book are timelessly relatable and it really hits home right now in this country. A most relatable read, this will open up your eyes.

[Jo Lee]

Unfortunately I’m a little bit of an outlier in my opinion of the book, so you’ll probably find that other reviewers have rated it a lot higher than myself.

The intent of the subject matter is hard hitting and it should have really kept me invested, sadly it was all a bit heavy for me and because of that it dragged a bit. The writing is solid and the narration was excellent I just found it all a bit much. Just a personal opinion.

I’m grateful to HighBridge audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

[Lois]

4.5 Stars Rounded Up

This audiobook is narrated by Adenrele Ojo who does a wonderful job with this extremely harrowing and emotional story. Her voice manages to convey the emotions of the POV characters perfectly.

This is a novel about trauma and pain over a lifetime. The 2 main POV characters: Ruth & Myron were unlikable. I felt frustrated with their lack of growth and insight. Honestly this felt very honestly done. Many folks who survive trauma like this are unlikable and lack introspection. Novels tend to soften this by giving access to the inner world and fleshing out the unlikable characters. I liked that this didn’t do that. I’m 51 now and folks don’t grow in real life like they do in the media. This was frustrating to read but also mirrored real life in which often these issues aren’t resolved or healed over a lifetime. Those lives also deserve recognition in media and aren’t given it often enough.

Thank you to Jacinda Townsend, Highbridge Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[Kendra Chura]

I just didn’t care about any of these characters or their midlife crises.

I really struggled to get through this one. I turned off the audiobook about 15% in, eventually came back to it, and honestly shouldn’t have.

I also didn’t care for the narrator. It felt like she over-enunciated every other word and often emphasized the wrong word in a sentence, which was distracting.

I didn’t find any of the characters likable, nor did I feel connected to any of them. The main character, Ruth, is particularly unlikable, and I don’t think her trauma excuses her behavior.

Overall, I found this book very slow, despite the heavy subject matter. After seeing other reviews, I think this one just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the advanced listening copy.

[Rita]

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book. Something about the pink and green cover and the title and the heavy handed plot summary threw me off a little. But the reviews and the story intrigued me, and I’m glad I gave it a chance!

I feel like the marketing was pretty off base and at the end of the day, this is really just a pretty classic lit fic book about grief and family and long held secrets, as well as the lasting trauma of police violence. I liked the writing style and the multiple POVs, and I found the story interesting. However, there were times it dragged and got a little repetitive. A solid 4 stars.

[Ashley]

Trigger Warning is a book about so many things grief, survival, identity, and the way unresolved trauma can shape who you are, especially later in life. Ruth, the central character, was completely dynamic to me. She lost so much early on her brother, her father to police brutality, and the fragile stability of her family. By the time she reaches her 40s, she’s faced with new layers of trauma: divorce, death, and the echoes of her past resurfacing in ways she can’t ignore.

What struck me most is how Townsend shows that the people closest to you may not fully see or understand your pain unless they themselves are triggered by something else. Ruth’s journey is about carrying invisible weight, and the audiobook makes that weight audible.

✨ Themes that resonated:
- 🌀 Unresolved trauma — how it lingers, resurfaces, and reshapes identity across decades.
- 💔 Family and loss — Ruth’s relationships with her sister and her child, Enix, who is nonbinary, add tenderness and complexity.
- ⚖️ Social commentary — police brutality, systemic injustice, and the silence that survival sometimes demands.
- 🌿 Moments of reprieve — romance and humor woven in, offering breath between the heaviness.
- 👥 Multiple POVs — the shifting perspectives deepen the story, showing how trauma reverberates across lives and generations.

This was not an easy listen, but it felt necessary. Townsend balances the pain with humanity, and for readers of literary fiction, this is a deeply rewarding experience even if it may not be for everyone. Ruth eventually faces her demons, and that reckoning makes the story feel both devastating and dynamic.

🎙️ Narration Note: Adenrele Ojo delivers a performance that elevates the entire book. She embodies Ruth and the surrounding cast with such passion that, although it’s a single-narrator audiobook, it feels like a full ensemble. Artfully done, deeply alive, and unforgettable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) — for its emotional depth, dynamic narration, and the way it lingers long after the last chapter.

I received an advanced audiobook copy for free in exchange for a honest review. All opinions stated are my own and are left voluntarily.

[Teara]

Adenrele Ojo is an amazing narrator. She did an amazing job of bringing this story alive. This is a story of tragedy. Ruth experienced so much grief in her life that she tried her best to ignore it until it all hit a wall. This is the story of the wall.
I loved this book, it shows just how differently everyone deals with grief. I love they change of POVs to show tragedy in each different character's life and how they dealt compared to the massive things that have happened to Ruth and her attempt to disassociate from it.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an emotional read.

The audiobook was graciously shared with me in advance by Highbridge audio.

[Karen]

I loved this book. As I read it, I was fighting with myself, one part wanting to read every chance I got, the other wanting to wait so it wouldn’t have to end. I feel like I know the characters, as if they’re part of my life. It’s in part a reflection on grief and how it impacts us. I want to read it again.

[Eursella Hayes-Williams]

*Trigger Warning* is one of those books that quietly pulls you in and stays with you. Jacinda Townsend does a great job exploring race, power, and relationships in a way that feels honest and thoughtful, not forced. The characters feel real, and the tension builds in subtle but meaningful ways. Definitely a book that makes you pause and think after you finish.

[Jazisunray Skillern]

Trigger Warning is a searing and deeply human novel that explores the long-lasting impact of violence and the complex ways trauma echoes through generations. From the very beginning, the story establishes an emotional resonance, as we meet Ruth—a woman whose childhood was marked by unimaginable loss. After her little brother succumbs to illness, her mother is consumed by grief, and her father is killed by police right outside their home, Ruth’s early life is shaped by tragedy upon tragedy.

Unable to bear the weight of her past, Ruth attempts to reinvent herself. She changes her name, starts over in Kentucky, marries Myron, and raises a child. Despite two decades of apparent stability and outward success, Ruth remains haunted by a sense of emptiness and unresolved pain. Townsend skillfully depicts how the trauma Ruth tried to bury continues to shape her life in subtle, persistent ways.

The novel’s momentum picks up as Ruth’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel—her marriage ends abruptly, her house is destroyed by fire, and her estranged sister is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Forced to confront her past, Ruth returns to California, bringing her nonbinary teenager along. It’s in this new chapter, as she faces both her own pain and her family’s struggles, that Ruth is finally pushed toward healing and self-acceptance.

Townsend’s writing is powerful and nuanced, seamlessly blending heartbreak with flashes of wit and hope. By offering perspectives not only from Ruth and Myron, but also from their friends and child, the novel paints a rich, multifaceted portrait of family, friendship, and the search for meaning after trauma. Themes of divorce, desire, the bittersweet experience of parenting, and the enduring bonds of friendship are handled with both tenderness and honesty.

Trigger Warning is an affecting, beautifully written exploration of what it means to survive, to adapt, and ultimately to reclaim what makes us feel alive. It’s a story that lingers long after the final page, offering both empathy and insight into the complexities of healing in the aftermath of profound loss. The narration was superb.

Thank you, NetGalley, Highbridge Audio, and Jacinda Townsend for this ARC audiobook. I highly recommend it.

[Dulce]

It was an ok book. It got me intrigued about where it would go but alas it left me feeling like this is one could’ve been skipped. Trigger warning felt like the main characters didn’t really learn anything.

Ruth - all around unlikeable character. Yes I understand she went through a lot. Loss of 3 family members. I even understand that’s the point of her character. She didn’t grieve, she didn’t process, she ran away. And it hindered her. I guess at first you just assume she was at least a decent wife and mother but towards the end you learn that she wasn’t and isn’t. Her reunion with her sister was also pretty meh. Sister isn’t mad? Which I guess you have to walk around eggshells around Ruth (her character again is unlikeable). And it’s anticlimactic where Ruth leaves her sister and admits she probably won’t see her in a long time. Which just felt dumb, decades of not seeing your sister, worrying that you wasted years without her, only to waste more years without her. At the end it didn’t even feel like she learned anything. . .

Myron - what a pushover of a character. Some parts you sympathize with him for being lied to. But again at the end he learns nothing. He is told about all his wife’s lies and even have him express how much he hates her. And in the same breath you get him admitting he will always loves her and will even love the “new” Ruth if she let him. Spineless character. Also learns nothing.

Enix - I believe we only get one POV of theirs. And it wouldve been nice to have gotten more. We see them through others POVs and they seem like your typical teenager. The only character that you can understand why they flip flop, they are a child. At the same time a character who seems to make the most sense. Understands their parents faults and acknowledges the good and bad more realistically.

All in all not a terrible read but felt like it lost its way towards the end.

[A Mac (on hiatus)]

The primary POVs in this work are Ruth’s and Myron’s, but there are several others included. Third-person perspective is used for all except one POV, which uses first-person, and I quite liked this approach.

This is a character-driven work, so if you don’t connect with the characters it’s not going to be a fun read. And that was part of my issue – I did not like any of them and didn’t feel much sympathy for them either. Ruth’s traumatic and tragic past wasn’t an excuse for her to act like she did, and Myron felt even more immature. I think it’s tricky to have solely unlikeable characters in a character-driven read like this one, ESPECIALLY if there’s no character growth, and it just didn’t work for me.

Despite not liking the characters, there were some things that were excellently done. Ruth begins the book by thinking people who need trigger warnings and have PTSD are fragile and weak, but it’s very clear she suffers from PTSD. Again, I loved the idea of this and it would have been perfect if she’d grown at all during the book, but she didn’t. The darker themes of childhood trauma, PTSD, divorce, racism, violence, passing on trauma inadvertently, and more, came together pretty well overall and didn’t feel like a kitchen-sink situation.

This was one of those books where you finish reading it and still aren’t really sure what the point was. My thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Brea]

Trigger Warning by Jacinda Townsend is a heavy, resonant audiobook—one that asks you to sit with discomfort rather than rush toward resolution.
This is a story steeped in grief and aftermath, where trauma is not a single event but a long shadow stretching across decades. Townsend’s writing is careful and deliberate, often lyrical, and clearly intentional in its weight. On audio, that intensity is amplified: the narration is strong and technically excellent, carrying the emotional gravity with clarity and control. Still, for me, the listening experience sometimes felt overwhelming—so dense with sorrow and reflection that it slowed the forward motion, even when the subject matter itself is undeniably important.
There is no denying the craft here. The prose is thoughtful, the themes—police brutality, inherited trauma, identity, and survival—are handled with seriousness and care. But this was a book I respected more than I connected with. The heaviness occasionally kept me at a distance, making it harder to fully sink into the emotional current rather than feel pressed beneath it.
That said, this will absolutely resonate more deeply for other listeners, especially those who appreciate literary fiction that lingers, challenges, and refuses to soften its edges. It’s a demanding listen, but an intentional one—and for the right reader, a powerful experience.
🎧 Format: Audiobook
🙏 Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.

[Mim_Who _Reads]

I really enjoyed this one and it stayed with me for a bit. In this narrative, Townsend digs into how long-buried memories shape a person’s choices, relationships, and sense of self. The MC isn’t written to be polished or charming. I think she’s complicated in a way that feels honest. Watching her navigate middle age while still wrestling with the weight of what happened to her years ago makes the book hit harder, but also more relatable.

What really works is how the author balances heaviness with sharp observations and unexpected humor. The shifting perspectives give the story more texture, making the MC character ARC feel more real. If you’re into character-driven fiction that isn’t afraid to sit with messy truths, this one’s absolutely worth picking up.

I had an ALC for this one and the narrator did an excellent job at bringing the story to life. Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge, Highbridge Audio for the ALC.

[Krazyaboutbooks]

This book follows a cast of characters; Ruth- a mother and soon to be divorcee, she decides to visit her sister after hearing of her devastating diagnosis. However, Ruth isn't who she says she is and has a past full of tragic events. Myron - Ruth's ex and a man rediscovering himself, Antony (a man child) and Clarisse (Ruth's friend from the past dealing with heavy things). This was a really tough read with discussions of racism, childhood illness, family relationships, obsession and etc. I really enjoyed how the author explored the characters exceptions vs. reality, inability to move on from their past and parents dealing with raising gender nonconforming kids. Overall, a good read and would recommend especially for bookclubs as there is a lot to sink your teeth into. In addition, this audiobook is well narrated by Adenrele Ojo.

Disclaimer: I received this audiobook from NetGalley and HighBridge | Highbridge Audio in exchange for a free and honest review.

[Joe R]

What a beautiful piece of writing–fluid, thoughtful, beautiful turns of phrase and perfectly apt word choices. I didn't know we are fortunate enough to have contemporary writers with such enduring prose.

Among the many perfect passages is the single best distillation I can imagine of what divorce looks like for a father that loves his child while contemplating goodbye to the relationship that brought that child into the world. Turn to page 45 to prove me right.

I have found over the years that my reading has evolved toward YA (to keep up with the kids) and piles of non-fiction (in an effort to broaden my knowledge.) This book has shown me that the most important lessons and most essential truths come from the imagination of a good writer.

These days, I find myself looking at the world in a different light as I set aside non-fiction in search of more meaningful writing, beginning with Jacinda's other books.

[Nuha]

Thank you Graywolf & Netgalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Now available.

What happens in the aftermath of a police shooting? For Ruth Hurley neé Cottham, life is forever cleaved into a before and after and she can't run from the before fast enough. Until one day, her carefully constructed life starts to unravel and she has to travel back to address the truth. TRIGGRR WARNING combines all my favorite things about America--open roads, comedy, and a cast of unforgettable characters. Townsend explores her characters with a mix of motherly affection, that is to say a healthy mix of care and gentle disdain. There's a deep catharsis, or release, as we reach the final end point of Ruth's unwinding and find a softer place to land.

[Luna and Co]

DNF at 70% :( I wanted to love this book; maybe the paper version would have been better for me, but the time jumps and memories completely lost me. I tried, rewinding over and over, but I'm still lost. It tackles important subjects that need to be talked about,and I was grateful for the representation of a non-binary person.


Thank you, Netgalley and Highbridge Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Melissa]

I was incredibly fortunate to have been given an ARC of this book from Gray Wolf Press. Words cannot express how much I enjoyed this book. The subject matters are not light fare, but the author's portrayal of these wonderfully flawed characters is nothing short of incredible.

[Caroline Hagood]

Townsend has written another heart-stopper. This book is as brilliant as it is timely, raising crucial questions of both parenting and political violence that will leave you thinking deeply for a long time after.

[A]

Gorgeous rendering of a family in crisis. Ruth and Myron are flawed, deeply complex, and never not hilarious. I’ll also be thinking about Enix any time I think of how people write children. Just such a great book.

[Raven]

This audiobook wasn’t an easy listen, but it was powerful. Ruth’s story is raw, messy, and painfully human—a deep look at how unhealed trauma shapes every part of a life. Heavy at times, surprisingly funny at others, and absolutely worth the listen. 💚

[Lexi]

DNF at 70%. This was wayyyyyyyy too long and convoluted. Some of the storylines were genuinely interesting but listening to the audiobook took Herculean effort to try to keep up with who was speaking and what was happening.

[elizabeth]

I absolutely loved this book

[April Baer]

I found a lot to like and learn from in the approach, blending a lot of wisdom about generational, trauma, together with every day, feelings and interactions.