The Crack, a memoir
Trust the feeling.
It will lead you somewhere.
A true story of betrayal, motherhood and the slow, steady work of learning to believe yourself again. For every woman who has been told that what she senses isn’t real.
Memoir
Margarida’s true story
2026
Publication year
5 parts
54 chapters
“I knew, because silence was costing me too much.”
From the Author’s Note
About the book
Some cracks are there long before you see them.
The Crack follows a woman who built her life on devotion: a career in nursing, a family, a marriage she believed in. Slowly, the ground starts to shift, and a feeling she cannot name begins to speak louder than reassurance.
Based on a true story, Margarida shares what it took to see clearly, to stop explaining away what she felt, and to rebuild a life that her daughters could grow up watching.
Honest without being graphic, tender without being soft, The Crack is a book for anyone who has ever doubted their own instincts.
Betrayal
When the person closest to you becomes the source of doubt.
Motherhood
Becoming a safe harbour for your daughters while the storm builds.
Self-trust
Learning to believe what you already know to be true.
New beginnings
Finding the courage to start over, one honest step at a time.
The shape of the story
The memoir unfolds across five parts, each one marking a turn in how she sees, and how she chooses.
1
Before the Crack
A life that looked whole from the outside.
2
When Things Started to Change
Small signs she tried not to see.
3
Losing My Footing
Doubt takes root, and silence follows.
4
The Discovery
The truth arrives, and nothing is the same.
5
When Everything Started Moving
Rebuilding, one honest choice at a time.
From the Author's Pen
I wrote this because silence was costing me too much. And because somewhere out there is a woman sitting with a feeling she cannot name, being told by the person closest to her that what she is sensing is not real. I want her to know it is real. Trust the feeling. It will lead you somewhere.
Is this book for you?
Wherever you are right now, there's a place for you here.
Something feels wrong
You sense it, but no one will name it.
You're holding a family together
Quietly carrying more than anyone sees.
You're starting over
After the break, finding a new footing.
Someone you love is going through it
Understanding what she can’t yet say.
“Margarida’s story doesn’t tell you what to do. It sits beside you while you work it out.”
A reader’s note
Read an excerpt
Begin where she began.
The opening pages of The Crack. Free to read, no sign-up needed.
Prologue
The Life That Made Sense
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“My daughters are watching how I treat myself, too.”
Margarida Nunes
Moments from the book
The small rituals that hold a life together.
Coffee before the night shift
The quiet minutes that held a life together.
Portuguese tiles
A grandmother’s kitchen, still on the walls.
Finding the words
Where the writing began.
Sunday rituals
The table, the girls, the noise.
About the author
Margarida Nunes
Margarida Nunes is a Portuguese-American mother of three daughters and a writer. Add a short bio here.
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20+
Years of living the story
3
Daughters who inspired this book
1
True story, honestly told
Get your copy
Bring The Crack home.
Available from your favourite booksellers. Ask your local bookshop, too; independent shelves can order it for you.
The Crack
A memoir by Margarida Nunes
PaperbackHardcovereBook
For book clubs
Bring The Crack to your circle.
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Questions
Things readers often ask.
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Letters from Margarida
Occasional notes on writing, motherhood and beginning again.
A quiet email a few times a year. No noise, no spam.
Contact
Let's talk.
Whether the book spoke to you or you’d like Margarida to join your table, we’d love to hear from you.
Book clubs
Discussion guide and a live visit, in person or online.
Speaking
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Media & interviews
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If this feels close to home, you don't have to carry it alone.
Free, confidential support is available any time. Dial the numbers, or reach out to someone you trust.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233 · 24/7, free and confidential
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 · 24/7