All of Us

Carolyn Grand, the protagonist of the pseudonymous Carter’s solid debut set in Brooklyn, was abused as a child, both by her father and later by foster parents, and developed dissociative identity disorder as a result. Though many of her personalities have since been reintegrated, her six remaining ones, ranging from practical homemaker Martha to heterosexual man Kirk, still often vie for control. While dealing with other stressors in her life—including joblessness and state-mandated visits to a therapist who definitely is not looking out for her—she learns that her father is out of prison. Soon afterward, he stalks her and winds up murdered. Carolyn’s a logical suspect, and since her own personalities don’t always know what the other is doing, even she isn’t sure of her innocence. Though a dubiously ethical relationship between Carolyn and a police officer investigating her strains credulity, Carter ably handles the different narrative voices, as well as presenting a mentally ill lead without fetishizing the illness. Readers will hope to see more from Carter. Agent: Nat Sobel, Sobel Webber Assoc. (June)

This review has been updated to note the author is pseudonymous.