The Last House Guest

This searing small-town thriller from bestseller Miranda (The Perfect Stranger) explores the complexities of female friendship and the picturesque fictions that money can buy. Avery Greer, a native of Littleport, Maine, is at a house party with the town’s other 20-somethings awaiting her best friend, wealthy summer resident Sadie Loman, when the police arrive: Sadie’s body washed up on the rocks near her parents’ estate, and they want alibis from those in attendance. The discovery of a suicide note ends all talk of foul play, but Avery can’t fathom Sadie taking her own life. A year later, Avery uncovers new evidence that underscores her suspicions and inspires her to investigate. The deeper Avery digs, the more secrets she unearths that are worth killing to keep. Flashbacks to the night of Sadie’s death reveal fissures in the girls’ relationship, casting doubt on Avery’s honesty as a narrator. Sharply drawn characters both ground and elevate the bombshell-laden plot, while evocative prose heightens tension and conjures place. Miranda delivers a clever, stylish mystery that will seize readers like a riptide. [em]Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary. (June) [/em]