The Blow-Up

The world of criminal defense attorney Caron Mooney, the narrator of this propulsive legal thriller from the pseudonymous Barry, is turned upside down upon her learning of the death of her husband, Jason, in a gas explosion. Jason’s naked remains were found in the smoking debris of the Montauk, Long Island, home of Emma Shipman, the woman with whom he was having an affair and died alongside. Evidence at the crime scene suggests that Emma’s reputably jealous and violent ex-husband, Neil, who had been stalking her, cut the gas line. Awash in grief, Caron surprises colleagues and family by agreeing to represent Neil, and displays plenty of legal acumen in her tenacious search for the truth. Along the way, she confesses to feelings of long-buried guilt and gradually reveals the extramarital obsessions behind the fraying relationship between her and Jason. Though the secrets that emerge will keep readers turning pages, the fast-paced plot follows a familiar course that doesn’t allow room for deep characterizations. Those seeking slick entertainment will be satisfied. Agent: Eliza Rothstein, InkWell Management. (Jan.)