What It Seems

Tara, the 20-year-old narrator of this nail-biting thriller from Bleeker (The Waiting Room), has lived since she was eight in Walnut Creek, Calif., with an abusive foster mother, who sometimes locks her in a closet for days without food or water. She may only leave the house, closely supervised by her foster mother, wearing a prosthesis covered by a dress that makes her look pregnant. Tara withdraws from her nightmare circumstances by conversing with dolls and watching online videos. Her favorite videos feature the Feely family, which includes three children. When the Feely parents announce they’re hiring an intern, Tara engineers an interview and, when offered the position, escapes from her foster home. Thinking Tara is an unmarried pregnant girl with nowhere to go, the Feelys allow her to live with them. Soon, Tara begins to realize that the family isn’t nearly as happy as portrayed in their videos. Bleeker keeps the reader guessing whether the Feelys will detect Tara’s lies, whether Tara’s possessive foster mother will find her, and how Tara’s future will unfold. Suspense fans will be rewarded. (Mar.)