Nasty Little Secrets

A woman’s quest to get her brother released from jail takes an unexpected turn in Hanks’s impressive debut. Rose Dearling’s brother William has been behind bars since 2010, when he was convicted of strangling his former girlfriend, Florida teenager Alexandria Hopely, to death. Despite strong evidence against William, including the presence of his semen on Alexandria’s body, Rose has spent over a decade trying to prove his innocence. She turned her research into a bestselling roman à clef in which the Alexandria character is killed by her own father. When the real Alexandria’s father, Gary, dies by suicide, Rose’s reputation plummets. She’s grilled about Gary’s death during an appearance on a morning talk show in New York City, but deflects by suggesting that Alexandria’s murder may be part of a pattern that includes the recent disappearance of another 16-year-old in the same part of Florida. After the interview airs, Rose learns that her teenage sister, Hazel, has vanished, lending her new theory unfortunate credence. She returns to Florida to investigate and finds evidence she’d missed all along. Hanks’s plot hits familiar beats, but she exhibits remarkable control for a first-time novelist. This satisfies. Agent: Victoria Skurnick, Levine Greenberg Rostan. (June)