Under Her Care

Pediatric psychologist Casey Walker, the principal narrator of this superlative psychological thriller from Berry (The Secrets of Us), is brought in as a consultant in the case of Mason Hill, a 14-year-old autistic boy suspected of murdering the Tuscaloosa, Ala., mayor’s wife. Because Mason’s mother stops questioning as soon as her son shows any sign of agitation, Casey is tasked with gaining the mother’s trust so that the police can fully interview Mason, who was found by the body splattered with blood on a riverbank below an old railroad bridge. He’s assumed to have an aggressive personality because when police approached him, he pelted them with rocks. His fingerprints are on the rock that provided the fatal blow to the victim’s head. As Casey observes Mason and reads his medical records, she begins to believe in his innocence and that Mason’s mother may be harboring secrets. Casey is particularly interested in the case because she, herself, is raising an autistic daughter. The action never wavers, and the surprises are unending. Berry is writing at the top of her game. Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (May)