Where It Lies

At the start of Egan's refreshing debut, Jenny Chase, a divorced former college teacher now assistant golf pro at the Harbor Terrace Country Club in Poningo, N.Y., early one morning happens on the head greenskeeper, Rick Gilbert, hanging from a rope tied to a rafter in the golf cart barn. Despite this upsetting discovery, Jenny wins a Women's U.S. Open sectional qualifying tournament later that day, giving her hope for a new future for her and her morose teenage son, Sam. When she learns that Rick's widow, Kit, has been denied life insurance because the authorities have ruled Rick's death a suicide, Jenny vows to help Kit and Kit's Down syndrome son investigate. Meanwhile, when Sam gets in trouble, she must call on her lawyer ex-husband for help. A look into the professional golf world complete with helpful tips, down-to-earth characters and a conclusion notable for its realism will leave the reader eager for more from this promising author. (May)