Never Look Back

In this uneven thriller from Edgar finalist Gaylin (If I Die Tonight), Quentin Garrison, the interviewer for Closure, an L.A.-based podcast on the ongoing impact of murder, knows too well the lasting damage of a brutal crime. His mother’s younger sister was shot to death in 1976 at age four by teen killers April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy. In an effort to resolve his own pain, Quentin interviews his estranged grandfather about the shooting, setting into motion events that result in the death of a man in New York. Quentin begins to suspect that April may still be alive and leading a quiet life in suburbia. He confronts April’s daughter, columnist Robin Diamond, with his suspicions, causing them both to question just how well they know the ones they love. Despite a gripping beginning that combines the crimes of the past with the best and worst of present-day mass media—instant exposure, fame, and trolls—the plot eventually falters under the weight of its own twists. Hopefully, Gaylin will return to form next time. Agent: Deborah Schneider, Gelfman Schneider Literary. (July)