Her One Mistake

Charlotte Reynolds and Harriet Hodder, the protagonists of Perks’s gripping if flawed first novel, have become best friends in their English village of Chiddenford. Their relationship is forged through discussions about their children and Charlotte’s recent separation from her husband, Tom. One day, Charlotte jumps at the chance to take Harriet’s four-year-old daughter, Alice, to the local fair, since her friend has often helped with Charlotte’s youngest child. But within minutes of arriving, Alice disappears while playing on a slide with Charlotte’s two older children. Harriet is devastated, as is her controlling husband, Brian. Both women’s secrets begin to spill during the intense police investigation. Empathy soars for Harriet, who can barely function without her child, and for Charlotte, who must deal with the scrutiny of her neighbors and the police for not paying attention to the children when Alice vanished. Most of the plot and the denouement are realistic, but a twist inconsistent with one character’s persona jars. Still, fans of domestic thrillers will look forward to Perks’s second outing. Agent: Nelle Andrew, Peters, Fraser & Dunlop (U.K.). (Jan.)