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Book Club: Let's Talk About 'The Catch,' by Yrsa Daley-Ward

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Jul 25, 2025

Guest

Jennifer Harlan

Joining the discussion is Jennifer Harlan, an editor at The Book Review, who dives deep into Yrsa Daley-Ward's gripping debut novel, 'The Catch.' The talk unpacks the psychological tension between twin sisters Clara and Dempsey as they navigate their dark family history. Themes of identity and sibling dynamics take center stage, driving an intriguing exploration of love, betrayal, and the complexities of memory. Personal anecdotes about twin relationships add a relatable layer, while thoughtful reflections spark a rich conversation on grief and self-discovery.

52:25

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Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

The Catch's Complex Narrative

The Catch is a psychological thriller blending grief, sisterhood, and metafictional elements creating a disorienting but compelling narrative.
The novel keeps readers intrigued with unreliable narrators and shifting realities, anchored by twin sisters' fraught relationship.

insights

INSIGHT

Unlikable Yet Compelling Sisters

Unlikable protagonists Clara and Dempsey challenge readers but also enrich the narrative with their complexity.
Their hostile, complicated relationship reflects deep emotional conflicts and sets the tone for the novel's psychological depth.

insights

INSIGHT

Power of Unreliable Narrators

The novel uses multiple unreliable narrators, each distorting truth and adding layers of ambiguity.
This narrative choice deeply engages readers in questioning perceptions and reality within the story.

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Exploring 'The Catch': Character Dynamics and Themes

04:31 • 16min

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Complex Bonds: The Intricacies of Sibling Relationships

20:58 • 2min

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Exploring Twin Dynamics in 'The Catch'

22:57 • 2min

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Navigating the Complexity of 'The Catch'

25:16 • 27min

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Reflections on 'The Catch' and Upcoming Book Selection

Cristina Rivera Garza

Sarah Booker

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Wish her safe at home

Stephen Benatar

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The House On The Strand

Daphne du Maurier

In 'The House on the Strand', Richard Grenville becomes entangled in a dangerous experiment involving a mind-altering drug that transports him back in time to 14th-century Cornwall. As Richard repeatedly journeys into the past, he becomes increasingly obsessed with the lives and loves of the people he observes, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. Du Maurier masterfully weaves together elements of gothic suspense, historical fiction, and psychological intrigue, exploring themes of obsession, identity, and the seductive power of the past. The novel raises questions about the nature of time and the consequences of tampering with forces beyond our understanding.

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Dead in Long Beach, California

Venita Blackburn

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The Vanishing Half

Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half is a multi-generational family saga that follows the lives of identical twin sisters Desiree and Stella Vignes. Raised in the fictional town of Mallard, Louisiana, where residents are exclusively people with light skin, the twins experience a formative moment when they witness the lynching of their father and later decide to run away to New Orleans at the age of 16. Stella begins to pass as white, securing a job as a secretary and eventually marrying a wealthy white man, while Desiree marries a dark-skinned man and faces an abusive marriage. The novel spans from the 1940s to the 1990s, exploring the complex lives of the twins and their daughters, Jude and Kennedy, delving into themes of race, gender, class, and the consequences of identity choices.

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Grief is a Thing with Feathers

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Max Porter

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The Haunting of Hill House

Shirley Jackson

The Haunting of Hill House follows Dr. John Montague, an investigator of the supernatural, and his guests—Eleanor Vance, Theodora, and Luke Sanderson—as they stay at the notorious Hill House. The house, known for its dark history and inexplicable phenomena, begins to exert its influence on the group, particularly on Eleanor, who may be losing touch with reality or possessing a subconscious telekinetic ability. The novel explores themes of psychological horror, the blurring of reality and imagination, and the haunting nature of the house itself.

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• Mentioned in 3 episodes

The Catch

The Influencer Series #3

Amy Lea

In this romantic comedy, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural Canadian fishing village, where she meets Evan Whaler, a grumpy lobster fisherman. After a boating accident, Mel is mistaken for Evan's fiancée, leading to a fake engagement that blossoms into real feelings. As they navigate their differences, Mel must decide between her city life and a chance at true love.

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• Mentioned in 6 episodes

Audition

Everything an Actor Needs to Know to Get the Part

Michael Shurtleff

This book, written by Michael Shurtleff, provides comprehensive advice on auditioning techniques. Drawing from his extensive experience in casting over 200 Broadway shows and various film and television productions, Shurtleff offers practical guidance for actors. The book includes his famous '12 Guideposts' for monologue and scene work, such as 'Relationships – how to create them onstage' and 'Conflict – what are you fighting for? ' It covers every aspect of auditioning, from basic acting techniques to handling distractions and risks, and is applicable not only to actors but also to other areas of life where 'auditions' occur.

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• Mentioned in 3 episodes

The Furrows

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Namwali Serpell

Namwali Serpell's "The Furrows" is a novel that delves into themes of grief, memory, and the complexities of human relationships. The narrative explores the emotional aftermath of loss and its impact on individuals and communities. Serpell's writing style is characterized by its lyrical prose and intricate storytelling. The novel examines how the past shapes the present and the ways in which individuals grapple with unresolved trauma. "The Furrows" is a powerful and moving exploration of the human condition.

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Erasure

Percival Everett

In 'Erasure', Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison, a professor of English literature and novelist, struggles with the publishing industry's expectations of what constitutes 'black enough' literature. Frustrated, Monk writes a parody of ghetto novels, titled 'My Pafology' or 'Fuck', which unexpectedly gains widespread acclaim and financial success under the pseudonym Stagg R. Leigh. The novel explores themes of identity, alienation, and the commodification of black experiences, while also delving into Monk's personal life, including his family's struggles and his own identity crisis.

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• Mentioned in 3 episodes

The Other Black Girl

Zakiya Dalila Harris

In this month’s installment of the Book Review Book Club, we’re discussing “The Catch,” the debut novel by the poet and memoirist Yrsa Daley-Ward. The book is a psychological thriller that follows semi-estranged twin sisters, Clara and Dempsey, who were babies when their mother was presumed to have drowned in the Thames.

The novel begins decades later, when Clara sees something strange: A woman who looks just like their mother is stealing a watch. Clara believes this is her mother, and wants to welcome her back into her life. Dempsey is less certain, in part because the woman doesn’t seem to have aged a day. She believes the woman is a con artist because it’s simply not possible for her to be their mother … right?

What’s real? What’s not? And what does that mean for the lives of these struggling sisters? Daley-Ward unpacks it all in her deliciously slippery novel. On this episode, the Book Club host MJ Franklin talks about “The Catch” with fellow Book Review editors Jennifer Harlan and Sadie Stein.

Other books mentioned in this week’s episode:

“The Other Black Girl,” by Zakiya Dalila Harris

“The Haunting of Hill House,” by Shirley Jackson

“Wish Her Safe at Home,” by Stephen Benatar

“Erasure,” by Percival Everett

“Playworld,” by Adam Ross

“The House on the Strand,” by Daphne du Maurier

“Grief Is the Thing With Feathers,” by Max Porter

“The Furrows,” by Namwali Serpell

“Dead in Long Beach, California,” by Venita Blackburn

“The Vanishing Half,” by Brit Bennett

“Death Takes Me,” by Cristina Rivera Garza

“Audition,” by Katie Kitamura

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