"A "Chicago Tribune "Favorite Book of 2007 "The internationally acclaimed bestselling author of "Smilla's Sense of Snow "returns with this "engrossing, beautifully written tale of suspense . . . captivating" ("The ""Miami Herald").Kaspar Krone is a world-renowned circus clown, and a man in some deep trouble. Drowning in gambling debt and wanted for tax evasion, Krone is drafted into the service of a mysterious order of nuns who promise him reprieve in return for his help safeguarding a group of children with mystical abilities--abilities that Krone also shares. When one of the children goes missing, Krone sets off to find the young girl and bring her back, making a shocking series of discoveries along the way. "The Quiet Girl "is an exuberant philosophical thriller that is "every bit as adventuresome and ambitious as "Smilla's Sense of Snow," even more so" ("Cleveland Plain Dealer").