New Novel 'Becoming Alice Again' Examines Power and Silence in Silicon Valley

Pulitzer Center award-winning author Glynnis Hayward explores a woman's reckoning in her latest psychological drama.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Becoming Alice Again, a new novel by Pulitzer Center award-winning author Glynnis Hayward, examines power dynamics, moral conflict, and the cost of long-held silence against the backdrop of Silicon Valley. The story follows a woman named Alice whose life changes when she uncovers information that forces her to confront both her marriage and her own sense of identity.

Why it matters

The novel offers an unflinching exploration of power dynamics within marriage and a culture that rewards results at any cost. It captures how silence can become a form of survival, even as breaking it can be both terrifying and transformative for the protagonist.

The details

After Garth Madsen, a Silicon Valley power player, is admitted to the hospital, his wife Alice discovers something in his office that will change both their lives forever. This discovery becomes a catalyst for Alice's reckoning, as she must decide whether to remain silent or make a stand, with real consequences for her future.

  • Becoming Alice Again was published on February 10, 2026.

The players

Glynnis Hayward

A Pulitzer Center award-winning novelist who grew up in South Africa and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a member of PEN South Africa and has been recognized by the Commonwealth Journal of Literature.

Alice

The protagonist of Becoming Alice Again, whose life changes when she uncovers information that forces her to confront her marriage and her own identity.

Garth Madsen

A Silicon Valley power player and Alice's husband, whose hospitalization leads to the discovery that becomes a catalyst for Alice's reckoning.

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What’s next

The novel is now available for purchase, and readers can learn more or buy a copy on Amazon.

The takeaway

Becoming Alice Again offers a nuanced exploration of power, silence, and the personal reckoning that can occur when a woman in a high-pressure environment is forced to confront the truth about her marriage and her own identity.