Let Her Lie

When serial killer Jasper Ross-Johnson reaches out to documentary filmmaker Theo Snyder, the narrator of this taut if flawed tale of deception from bestseller Reardon (The Perfect Plan), Theo agrees to meet him at the Wilmington, Del., prison where he’s incarcerated. Jasper wants Theo, whose first documentary was a hit but whose career has since tanked, to tell his story. Theo, keen to redeem his reputation, succeeds in interesting a studio in the project and starts filming interviews with Jasper at the prison. PI Zora Monroe joins Theo in an effort to get Jasper to reveal what led to his being captured before he could kill his last intended victim. Theo and Zora come to realize that the daughter of Jasper’s first victim is in peril, and they embark on a deadly chase up and down the east coast to find her. Ingenious twists and well-developed characters compensate only in part for a convoluted ending that will leave many unsatisfied. Newcomers are advised to start with one of Reardon’s earlier, stronger thrillers. [em]Agent: Stephanie Rostan, LGR Literary. (Feb.) [/em]