The Secrets of Us

Krystal and Nichole, the stars of this twisty psychological thriller from Berry (The Best of Friends), met in foster care as young girls and consider themselves sisters. The two are raised on a remote Iowa farm by the tyrannical Mrs. Wheeler. One day, when Krystal and Nichole are 17, they see Mrs. Wheeler’s disturbed daughter, Veronica, push a playmate, Alice, out of the barn loft, causing her death. Mrs. Wheeler threatens to tell the authorities Krystal and Nichole were responsible unless they stay silent. Nichole, the more sensitive of the two, starts to hear Alice’s voice telling her to harm Veronica. After a failed attempt to do so, Nichole runs away with Krystal in the middle of the night. Flash forward 20 years. In Texas, Krystal is a successful attorney, and Nichole lives a suspiciously perfect life with her husband, Aiden, until she winds up in a mental institution for trying to burn him alive. Berry builds tension by alternating between past and present, and keeps the reader guessing as to Aiden’s role in the drama. Those looking for an emotional roller-coaster ride will be rewarded. Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (June)