The Show House

In Lopez’s first novel, a witch’s brew of family dysfunction, perversity, and murder, Florida retirees Thaddeus and Cheryl Bloom are looking forward to visiting their son, Stevie, from whom Thaddeus has been estranged for years, and Stevie’s partner, Peter, as well as meeting their adoptive granddaughter, Gertie. Meanwhile, a serial killer is targeting gay men, making pharmacist Laila Morales worry about her spoiled younger brother, Alex. Plus there’s a hurricane, a possible objective correlative of the protagonists’ inner state. But it’s hard to say, since the story is told from multiple points of view, including the murderer. Lopez has gathered the right ingredients for a firestorm, but something is missing, like a no-salt recipe. None of the characters come to life, and there’s no one to care about or empathize with: Thaddeus is a whiny old man whose so-called jokes offend others, Cheryl is controlling and manipulative, and Stevie is clearly not being honest about his life. They could all kill one another and readers wouldn’t care. (Dec.)