A Familiar Sight

At the start of this gripping psychological thriller from Labuskes (Her Final Words), Gretchen White, a consultant for the Boston PD and self-proclaimed nonviolent sociopath, finds her friend Lena Booker, an attorney for the mob, dead from an overdose of painkillers. Lena’s death is connected to a high-profile murder case that she was handling involving 13-year-old Viola Kent, who is accused of killing her mother. Gretchen has a secret, which she doesn’t share with the lead detective on Lena’s case: the Viola Kent file was next to Lena’s body, and Lena left Gretchen a voice mail shortly before she died saying, “I messed up, Gretch. [Viola]’s like you.” Gretchen is determined to find out why Lena believed Viola was innocent. She investigates and quickly realizes the case against Viola is a study in confirmation bias. Even more intriguing is why Lena decided to take Viola’s case and her connection to another girl, who disappeared decades ago. A strong plot and unforgettable characters make this a winner. Labuskes is on a roll. Agent: Abby Saul, Lark Group. (July)