Rating: 3 out of 5.

This is a good contemporary mystery/thriller. Novelist Andy Drake returns home to care for his sick father. He re-connects with Rachel, a childhood friend, starting an affair that gives her a break from her emotionally abusive husband. After several months, Andy receives an anonymous note telling him to break it off with Rachel, or else.

A few weeks later Rachel’s husband is found murdered in their home and Rachel and her kids are gone. Stunned, Andy begins to investigate but every action he takes also makes him look guilty to the police. Yet Andy persists, undeterred by the danger or the risk. Surprising secrets are revealed and Andy has no idea how close he comes to becoming a victim himself.

This book starts off quiet and peaceful. The tension builds slowly until eventually I expected Andy to get killed every time I turned the page. The characters were well developed, including Andy’s father and sister. Their relationship with their older brother was a bit weird and clunky, but it wasn’t enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book. The author did a great job of adding plenty of twists and turns to the book, including a fun red herring that you’ll notice when you read it.

This is a quick and easy read that I enjoyed and recommend. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer. All opinions are my own.