Fatal Option

In the prologue of this uneven psychological thriller from Beakey (Double Abduction), a drunken Stephen Porter, who lives in suburban Frederick County, Md., receives a phone call late one night from his 17-year-old daughter, Sara, who’s stranded on a mountain in a blizzard while secretly visiting a favorite high school teacher, Kieran O’Shea, whose autistic younger brother, Aidan, she tutors. Stephen, whose wife, Lori, recently died in a mysterious road accident, gets into his car and heads into the storm. During his drive, he has a collision with fateful consequences for him and his children. Meanwhile, Det. John Caruso is investigating a series of murders of women in Frederick County and suspects Kieran may have a connection with the victims. Various subplots undercut the tension of this nightmarish scenario. One involves Kieran and Aidan’s abusive late mother, Nurlene. Another focuses on Det. Joseph Niles and his son, Marco, who’s bullying Stephen’s son, Kenneth. Some interesting narrative developments compensate only in part for the weak whodunit aspect. (Feb.)