Excerpt from Discipline by Larissa Pham, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

My phone rang and I answered it. With my free hand I turned the postcard over so the image was no longer visible.

Hi, said a man's voice. Is this Christine?

Yes, I said.

Hi, uh, I have your bag.

Oh, good.

I'm so sorry, he said. He sounded embarrassed, young. This has never happened to me before. Uh, I don't know where you are, but I could meet you in the Loop, if that's convenient for you. Downtown, I mean.

Don't worry about it, I said. That's fine for me. I was actually planning to stop by the Art Institute, so maybe you could meet me there.

On it, he said, his voice swelling with relief. I'm going so fast, I'm already there. I've got your bag, I'm waiting for you. I'm sitting on the steps. Man, it's nice out today.

I laughed in spite of myself. It's okay, I said. I turned the postcard back, looked at the painting. Abstract. Slashes of violet bleeding over dull gray, a smear of acid green. Then I set it down again. Really, I said. I'll be there in an hour.

Excerpted from Discipline by Larissa Pham. Copyright © 2026 by Larissa Pham. Excerpted by permission of Random House. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.