Little Broken Things

Secrets from the past and the roots of the dysfunction in a seemingly perfect family are slowly revealed in this suspenseful novel from Baart (The Beautiful Daughters). When Quinn Cruz gets a mundane text—“I have something for you”—from her sister, Nora, she is unprepared for the change it will bring to her staid life in Key Lake, Minn., where she lives with her artist husband. Though she hasn’t seen Quinn for over a year, Nora shows up at Quinn’s door with six-year-old Lucy and then abruptly leaves after asking Quinn to keep Lucy safe. Quinn and her mother, Liz, believe that Lucy may be Nora’s daughter; Quinn doesn’t have any idea why Nora seemingly abandoned the little girl. Baart slowly reveals the circumstances that caused to Nora bring Lucy to Quinn’s home while simultaneously shedding light on past indiscretions within the Sanford family that have remained hidden for years. The mesmerizing story line is rife with mystery regarding Lucy’s parentage and the reasons for the strained relationships between Quinn, Liz, and Nora. This is an accomplished exploration of the fragile bonds of a family as they attempt to overcome obstacles they never saw coming. (Nov.)