Beneath Devil’s Bridge

The 1997 murder of 14-year-old Leena Rai in a small Canadian town propels this intriguing thriller from White (In the Deep). After Clayton Jay Pelley, a school guidance counselor, confessed and pleaded guilty, the up-and-coming police detective on the case, Rachel Hart, fell into a downward spiral that led to psychiatric treatment, divorce, and alienation from her daughter, a classmate of Leena’s. Moreover, it resulted in her resigning from the force and retiring to a farm where 24 years after the crime she has achieved some serenity living with her psychiatrist. Then the host of a true crime podcast approaches her for an interview after interviewing Clayton. Only now, from the very first episode, Clayton steadfastly denies his guilt. The podcast shatters a conspiracy of silence surrounding Leena’s murder, unearthing secrets that throw suspicion on the credibility and possible culpability of several community members and revealing potential evidence that someone else, still at large, may well be responsible for the crime. The suspenseful, multilayered plot is matched by fully realized characters. White consistently entertains. [em]Agent: Amy Tannenbaum: Jane Rotrosen Agency. (May) [/em]