The Dead Husband

After Riley McKay overdoses on alcohol and sleep medication in Milwaukee, his widow, novelist Rose Yates, the narrator of this chilling standalone from Thriller Award finalist Wilson (The Dead Girl in 2A), returns home to the upscale town of Bury, N.H., the scene of a tragedy two decades earlier. From the moment the door of her father’s mansion swings open, Rose, the family black sheep, and her 11-year-old son, Max, are forced to contend with the demons that once drove Rose away. The frosty reception Rose receives from her family deepens when copies of her new novel arrive; neither her father, Logan, a cutthroat businessman, nor Cora, her lovely and ruthless sister, know the plot of the soon-to-be published book is a retelling of the long-ago crime within their community. As Rose’s past threatens to overwhelm her, the police detective investigating Riley’s death closes in on her as a suspect. The tension rises as Wilson slowly reveals the unhappy truth behind the facade of a happy marriage. Psychological thriller fans will be rewarded. Agent: Pamela Ahearn, Ahearn Agency. (May)