Lies We Bury

When Claire Lou, the narrator of this unsettling psychological thriller from Marr (The Missing Sister), was seven, she escaped with her mother and two sisters from Chet Granger, who had held them in the basement of his Portland, Ore., house since before she was born. Now, 20 years later, shortly after Claire accepts a freelance gig as a photographer with the Portland Post, she spots a stuffed animal propped up outside a brewery that looks just like one she had as a little girl. On impulse, she goes inside the brewery and takes pictures. The next day, she learns that someone was murdered at the brewery after her visit. More murders follow, and each crime scene includes a memento from Claire’s childhood, though she’s reluctant to tell the police for fear of becoming a suspect. With Chet about to be paroled from prison, Clair feels added urgency to find the killer before she becomes the next victim. The suspenseful plot is matched by the convincing portrayal of the vulnerable Claire, who just wants to lead a normal life. Marr is a writer to watch. Agent: Jill Marr, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Mar.)