Thriller ‘Anyone But Her’ by Fraser author wins Colorado Book Award
Cynthia Swanson/Courtesy photo
Is a fictional ghost thriller at the top of your reading choices? Generally, not mine either, but this 2024 novel by part-time Fraser resident Cynthia Swanson is top notch. It was recommended personally by noted Grand County author Martin Smith who leads Grand County Community of Writers.
“Anyone But Her” won the Colorado Book Award in 2025 for the thriller category.
Swanson, a highly literary-honored author, centers “Anyone But Her” in Denver where she primarily resides. The novel’s specter is Suzie Blue’s mom, Alex, who was murdered in her Denver record store in 1979.
One particularly poignant element is Swanson’s references to specific Denver geographical locations: South Broadway, West Colfax, Colorado Boulevard, Cheesman Park, and many others easily recognizable to anyone who’s spent time in the Mile High City.
Before her death, Alex told Suzie about her family’s passed down ability to communicate with ghosts. She warned these happenings take place when there is an unsolved dilemma in the ghost’s human life.
In 2004, she and her family and she return to live in Denver. Soon, the mom-not-mom ghost visits Suzanne and tells her to listen to the “tape.” At first, she does not know where the warning tape is or what the recorded songs mean.
Later, the ghost reappears and admonishes her daughter for not listening to the tape, made eight days before her mother’s death. Finally, Suzanne locates the missing cassette tape and listens to several recorded 1979 songs, which begins her quest.
Swanson does an excellent job interplaying 1979 and 2004. With past articles from the Denver Post and her mother’s ghost reappearances, Suzanne begins piecing together the murder scene and probable cold-case killer.
Scenes in the novel also revolve around typical mother-daughter dilemmas which readers may be able to relate to. At the end, Suzanne appeases her “mom-not-mom” and develops a better living relationship with her own daughter. So all’s well that ends well, I suppose?
Cynthia Swanson writes psychological suspense novels. Her first, “The Bookseller” is a “New York Times” best seller. Her second novel “The Glass Forest” is a bestseller and has been translated into several languages.
If you would like to read “Anyone But Her” or any of Cynthia Swanson’s other books, simply Google the Grand County District Libraries’ directory. You will be able to check her works out through different presentations: printed work, e-book, or audio book. Learn more about Swanson at CynthiaSwansonAuthor.com.
Bill Brown is an educator and journalist based in Choctaw, Oklahoma. His daughter, Jennifer Brown, owns the Mountain Gal Boutique and Quacker Gift Shop in Grand Lake.
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