A harrowing novel about family relationships, secrets and murder, Kane's second mystery (following Blind Spot) opens with a graphic prologue describing the murder of homemaker Peggy Scott. When Peggy's husband, Warren, is accused of the grisly crime, his children, Tim and Laura, rally around him, leaving Tim's fiancée and fellow university mate, Sari Siegel, feeling strangely removed from the family and her husband-to-be. Although the case against Warren is eventually dropped due to lack of evidence, Tim and Sari's marriage doesn't survive the ordeal. A decade later, Sari, grown from an idealistic biology student into a hard-edged corporate lawyer, teams up with Detective Ray Burt. Ray was the detective in charge of the case, and he's spent several years rehashing the details in his mind. Together they methodically and serendipitously complete the murder puzzle. Insightful peeks into the dark side of family life will keep readers turning the pages, but astute readers will quickly figure out what the Scott family is so desperate to conceal. An excess of detail, weak characterizations and a pat conclusion further mar this slow-moving, lightweight mystery. (Oct. 9)
