The Vacation House

This engrossing tale of psychological suspense from Shemilt (The Patient) centers on Sofie, a Greek girl living on the island of Paxos, and Julia, the daughter of a wealthy English couple who own a vacation home there. Sofie and her family are caretakers serving the needs (and whims) of Paxos homeowners and their guests. In the summer of 2003, while Julia’s family is vacationing on the island, 13-year-old Sofie is assaulted on the beach. Twenty years later, Julia is the apparently perfect yet deeply unhappy wife of James Grenville, headmaster of an exclusive English boarding school, having traded her dignity and independence for the financial security he offers her and their daughter. At a school event one evening, Julia meets Laurel, a therapist with links to her past that Julia can hardly imagine. Laurel senses Julia’s displeasure and promises to help her find fulfillment. Shemilt alternates Sofie’s perspective in 2003 with Julia’s in 2023, keeping the suspense at a steady simmer that gradually builds to a roiling boil by the conclusion. This tale of revenge and rebirth rivets. Agent: Eve White, Eve White Agency. (Dec.)