The Den

This engrossing psychological thriller from Reinard (Into the Sound) centers on the Fox family of Fox Chapel, Pa.: parents Stefan and Simone and their four grown children. Youngest daughter Lucinda would like to think she puts the fun in dysfunctional, but each sibling has their own destructive tendencies. Eldest Christian is the favorite and never lets anyone forget it, while second-born Valerie is an overachiever continually in her brother’s shadow. Jeremy, the second Fox brother, is a ne’er-do-well and most like Lucinda: both are creative, sensitive, and outsiders within the family and their own skin. Outrageous fortune ensues at a charity event honoring Simone, where Lucinda is exposed (literally) during a tryst with party waitstaff and Stefan appears to have a stroke. What follows is vicious game of one-upmanship and deception to see which Fox heir will control the family’s business and vast estate, should their father or any other family member die. The explosive plot, told through alternating narrators with wildly divergent viewpoints, creates a tense, Machiavellian atmosphere. Readers won’t soon forget this deep dive into twisted family dynamics. Agent: Ella Marie Shupe, Belcastro Agency. (Dec.)