Careful What You Wish For

This outstanding standalone from bestseller Ephron (You’ll Never Know, Dear) may be the first domestic thriller to weave in Marie Kondo’s decluttering theory about discarding things that don’t spark joy. Paring down her belongings brings so much joy to Emily Harlow that she and her friend Becca Jain have started a business, Freeze-Frame Clutter Kickers, to help others organize. Emily’s husband’s obsession with possessions brings her no joy, especially since his “compulsive yard-sale-ing” has overstuffed the basement of their suburban Boston home. But Emily’s rule is that she can’t discard another’s property, even in her own house. Meanwhile, a new client wants Emily and Becca to clear out her late husband’s storage unit she didn’t know he had, and Emily bonds with another client whose husband is also a hoarder. The discovery of a body in the storage unit raises the stakes. Appealing characters and some suspenseful detective work help elevate this in-depth look at people’s emotional attachment to things. After being a finalist five times, Ephron may finally win the Mary Higgins Clark Award for this one. Agent: Gail Hochman, Brandt & Hochman Literary. (Aug.)