HWS News
28 October 2026 Tillman ’95 Publishes Literary Mystery Novel
Preorder available for anticipated novel Lucy Miles’ Photogenic Mind by Aaron Tillman ’95.
This November, author Aaron Tillman ’95 will release his newest book Lucy Miles’ Photogenic Mind, published by Regal House Publishing. The novel is a witty literary mystery with elements of magical realism.
Lucy Miles’ Photogenic Mind is available for preorder here.
The story follows 15-year-old Pinky Green, who has always felt destined for ridicule until the extraordinary, artistic and secretive Lucy Miles turns his world upside down. When Lucy’s estranged mother washes up on Calamity Beach and her emotionally abusive father is found dead the next day, Lucy disappears under a cloud of suspicion. Determined to find his friend, Pinky teams up with Gilda Montgomery, the sharp-tongued owner of Cockaroost Concessions, and Walter Walsh, Lucy’s burly, melancholic godfather and a recently suspended Boston cop. Together, they follow a trail of mysteries both magical and mortal, uncovering dangerous secrets while confronting the complexities of loyalty, the power of friendship and the strange, luminous truths hidden in unexpected places.
Even before its official release, the novel has received considerable praise. “Tillman’s writing is layered with insight and levity that make it an excellent read for anyone who loves their mysteries with a dash of magic,” says author Mandy McHugh.
Author Janice Eidus adds: “Artfully and skillfully blending and bending genres, Tillman explores profound questions about loyalty, friendship, memory, secrecy, and betrayal.”
Tillman is the also the author of two short story collections, Consolation Miracles and Every Single Bone in My Brain, as well as a nonfiction book, Magical American Jew. He is a Pushcart nominee and a recipient of the Gival Press Short Story Award, the John Gardner Memorial Prize and the Glimmer Train Award.
He serves as associate director of the writing program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At HWS, Tillman majored in English and studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador, and Hanoi, Vietnam. He holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island. He can be found online at aarontillmanfiction.com
