CLUTCH OF PHANTOMS

This gripping page-turner from British crime novelist Layton (aka Natasha Cooper), the first under her real name, explores the themes of violence, revenge and forgiveness as they affect London stockbroker Cass Evesham and her family. Thanks to her skill and determination, Cass appears to have finally achieved success and recognition in a male-dominated firm when her world is shattered. First, her married boyfriend dumps her, then she learns that her thought-to-be-dead grandmother, Livia, has just been released from prison after serving 25 years for the murder of Cass's grandfather and his lover. Why didn't her mother tell her the truth instead of fabricating the lie that her grandparents were killed in an accident? Why did her grandmother commit such a heinous act? Was her grandmother mad, as some speculated at the time, and could the madness be hereditary? In her search for the answers to these questions, Cass uncovers painful truths about her family—and suffers with admirable strength the taunts of the press, gossip and innuendoes at work, as well as the loss of important clients. Layton's insightful and provocative portrait of Livia's existence in prison and the life she leads after her release as she and Cass try to reconnect will engage and touch the reader. While this may not appeal to fans of traditional mysteries, memorable characters and an engrossing plot make this a first-rate psychological thriller. (Aug. 22)

FYI:In 2000 Layton served as chairman of the British Crime Writers Association.