Gone Without a Trace

Hannah Monroe, the narrator of Torjussen’s strong debut, is flush with the promise of a much-earned promotion at her accounting firm and eager to share the news with her live-in boyfriend of four years, Matt Stone. But when she returns to her house near Liverpool from a training course in Oxford, Matt isn’t there, and all his belongings have disappeared with him. Bewildered and devastated, Hannah discovers that Matt’s phone number has been deleted from her phone and that he’s even left his job. She turns for comfort to her best friend, Katie, who tries to persuade her to move on, but all Hannah wants to do is find Matt and confront him. Soon she begins receiving strange texts and suspects that someone is entering her house. As Hannah falls apart and her work suffers, readers realize that not all is at it seems. The deliciously dark conclusion is perfect for this tale of all-consuming obsession, jealousy, and the secrets that lie beneath the most perfect of exteriors. Agent: Kate Burke, Diane Banks Associates (U.K.). (Apr.)