Sweet Water

Sarah Ellsworth, the narrator of this nail-biting psychological thriller from Reinard (Pretty Dolls and Hand Grenades), enjoys her good fortune, working with inner-city single mothers while enjoying a happy family life in a mansion with her husband, Martin, in an upscale Pittsburgh suburb. One night, Sarah and Martin find the body of Yazmin Veltri, their teenage son Finn’s girlfriend, in a park’s wooded area. Nearby, drug-addled Finn, who’s injured, can’t remember what happened. Sarah wants to call 911, but Martin overrules her and decides to do nothing, fearful that Finn will be blamed for Yazmin’s death, and they leave the scene. Sarah later tries to piece together the events leading to their grim discovery, but she makes little progress. Meanwhile, Martin’s wealthy family approves of the cover-up, and Finn isn’t straight with the police, who show up after others find Yazmin’s body. The tension builds as Sarah, a janitor’s daughter, comes to realize her idyllic life is in jeopardy. Reinard knows how to keep readers turning the pages. Agent: Ella Marie Shupe, Belcastro Agency. (Jan.)