Keep Quiet

The latest standalone novel from New York Times best-selling author Scottoline explores the relationship between father and son in the aftermath of a deadly hit and run. Jake Buckman worries that he can't compete with girls, Facebook and Jay-Z for the affection of his 16-year-old son, Ryan. "No father could," he tells himself, "least of all an accountant." %C2%A0In a bid to win over his son, Jake allows Ryan to drive his Audi one dark night. Ryan hits a jogger with the car and his father, foreseeing the potential of his son ruined by a vehicular manslaughter charge, decides they should run. Their secret seems safe, if excruciating to bear, until an unlikely bad guy, a "dweeby IT guy who codes all day" demands $250,000%C2%A0in exchange for photo evidence that proves Ryan killed the jogger. Before Jake can pay, the IT guy turns up dead. The pace of the novel accelerates from here through under-age and extra-marital sex, set-ups and cover-ups, and more murders%E2%80%94both attempted and completed. Twists and turns of the high drama plot come at the expense of character development but excitement builds nonetheless.%C2%A0Agent: Molly Friedrich, Friedrich Literary Agency. (Apr.)