Friend Me

A cardboard villain, who commits a murder with little motivation early on, and an unconvincing online companion made from code mar Faubion’s debut, a novel of suspense. VirtualFriendMe.com offers Rachel and Scott Douglas, a couple struggling in their marriage, online outlets for their frustrations. Rachel creates a virtual version of her deceased best friend, Suzanne, while Scott creates “Alicia,” devoted to supporting him in all matters, including questionable investment decisions. After all asks Scott, “What could go wrong?” But all of Rachel and Scott’s interactions are actually driven by a software architect, Melissa Montalvo, who has a deadly real-world agenda—make Scott her own and eliminate Rachel. Scott and Rachel determine who Melissa is through a number of improbable assumptions; a confusing timeline and alternating points-of-view make the final showdown hard to follow. Agent: Linda Glaz, Heartline Literary Agency. (Feb.)