First Born

This cleverly crafted psychological thriller from Dean (The Last Thing to Burn) explores the awkward and intense emotions of identical-twin dynamics. Anxious, cautious Molly Raven, though quite attached to her “prettier and funnier” twin, Katie, has always been envious of the attention given to her sister and was devastated by Katie’s choice to move from London to New York City to attend Columbia University on a mysterious scholarship. Then Katie turns up dead in her own bed, possibly a murder victim, during a visit from their parents. Molly manages to overcome her fears and travel to New York to investigate what was happening in her twin’s life, and maybe be brave enough to step into Katie’s world to try to make things right. Big mid-narrative reframes may leave the reader feeling misled by the protagonist’s internal monologue, but these shifts allow the story to ramp up in additional waves of tension as Molly’s attention to detail becomes a disturbing asset. This wild ride of a novel pulls its surprises at just the right moments. Dean remains a writer to watch. Agent: Kate Burke, Blake Friedmann Literary. (July)