Kavitha Reddy Goyal

Hawk Lane

Tormented by a mistake and paralyzed by inferiority, a suburban wife and mother alienates from friends, community, and eventually her husband and daughter. She must confront the damage her isolation has caused her family before she loses them—and herself—entirely.

With its stirring exploration of emotional isolation and personal transformation, Hawk Lane exposes the motivations behind the choices that shape us, and how redemption can sometimes come from unexpected places.

Early Praise for Hawk Lane

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"Kavitha Reddy Goyal is a provocative new writer; her work synthesizes powerful and confident writing with perceptive psychological insights. “Pomp and Circumspection” details a mundane, yet heartbreaking moment in an almost happy family whose journey has been shadowed by mental illness."

-Ruth Bienstock Anolik, Author, American Gothic Literature: A Thematic Study from Mary Rowlandson to Colson Whitehead

“I wanted more. This is a story mothers need. The struggle of letting go when not emotionally ready, to want more time that we do not have. I would love to see this in my library.”

-Angela Ferari, Avid Reader, IG: @bookthoughtswithangela

"Goyal’s Hawk Lane is as delicate as it is complex. With a lyrical intensity, this remarkable debut novel explores an unforgettable, fully formed main character whose gradual, intricate deterioration, fueled by depression, a deflated self-esteem, and the ongoing trauma of rejection, reflects a layer of the human character that is rarely acknowledged. She’s one of the most authentic characters I’ve recently encountered, and a testament to the singular excellence of Hawk Lane."

-Greg Fields, Author, The Bright Freight of Memory, Winner 2025 National Writing Award for Literary Fiction

"A realistic glimpse into the emotional complexity of depression. Goyal skillfully gives the reader a rare opportunity to experience common, everyday experiences and interactions through a different perspective, ultimately building empathy for those who are isolated, even from those they love dearly, by the crushing weight of their affliction. Loved how the story covered the arc of Anneliese's life, through the highs and the lows, we learned along with her what she needed to do to be her best self."

- Jeanne Liedtka, University Professor

“Kavitha Reddy Goyal creates a journey for Anneliese of self-discovery and self-acceptance that is utterly absorbing. The portrayal of depression is authentic– claustrophobic, self-consuming, and deeply human– reminiscent of Hedda Gabler burdened by despair. As she slowly finds her way out of darkness, I felt the weight lift alongside her. Her story stayed with me long after I finished the final page.”

- Nivedita Chander, Nephrologist

"Goyal effectively conveys the raw helplessness and quiet desperation of a mother living with depression, torn between the guilt of not being there for her family and the paralyzing inability to lift herself out of her struggle. The story has stayed with me."

-Anuk Das, Pharmaceutical Executive