Shadow Box

When artist Claire Beaudry Chase, the narrator of this gripping psychological thriller from Rice (Last Day), is attacked by a masked man who leaves her for dead in the garage of the home she shares with her abusive husband, Griffin, she suspects Griffin, a Connecticut state’s attorney, is behind the attack, and decides to go into hiding. Griffin, also a candidate for governor, is aware she knows something about a 25-year-old crime that would torpedo his election prospects if made public. Claire, who creates shadow boxes built of driftwood frames filled with natural objects, has just finished a box depicting Griffin’s crime, which she leaves for him to find before she vanishes. State police detective Conor Reid later investigates Claire’s disappearance, as well as an explosion on the boat of the Chases’ neighbors, Sallie and Don Benson, that occurred the same day she went missing. Conor suspects the explosion, which killed Sallie and injured Don, is related. The suspense builds as Claire desperately tries to piece together the extent of the crimes of Griffin and his accomplices. Prepare to be up all night reading. [em]Agent: Andrea Cirillo, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Jan.) [/em]