Echo After Echo

Capetta (Entangled) seamlessly weaves a murder mystery and stirring love story into a suspenseful novel set in Manhattan’s theater community. “Backbiting” doesn’t begin to evoke the menacing atmosphere of Broadway’s Aurelia Theater, to which Pennsylvania high school senior Zara impulsively sends an audition tape for her favorite Greek tragedy, Echo and Ariston. That the intimidating and world-famous director Leopold Henneman selects Zara for Echo is only one of many shocks: there’s the dead body Zara finds on her first day in the Aurelia, a second death during rehearsals, and the ominous warnings that begin to come Zara’s way. Then there is 19-year-old Eliza “Eli” Vasquez, the assistant lighting designer who is immediately drawn to Zara. As Zara struggles through rehearsals with her celebrity costar and one-on-one sessions with director Henneman, who is prone to frightening visions, she is also falling for Eli. A complex cast of suspicious characters, a relentless undercurrent of fear, sophisticated plot development, and the lyrical language Capetta uses to describe Zara’s and Eli’s passion for their work and for each other make this an exceptionally compelling read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. (Oct.)