At the Quiet Edge

Lily Brown, the protagonist of this hair-raising psychological thriller from Stone (The Last One Home), works long hours managing a storage facility in Herriman, Kans. Six years earlier, Lily’s then husband, Jones, abandoned her and their then six-year-old son, Everett, after embezzling large amounts of money. She’s a pariah because no one, including the police, believes she doesn’t know the whereabouts of Jones or the stolen money. When Lily reluctantly agrees to use a storage unit to do a favor for a friend that, if discovered, could cost her her job, Lily becomes terrified that this favor could also get her in further trouble with the police. Then Jones contacts Lily asking to see Everett. She refuses, fearing that Jones will disappear, hurting Everett once again. Jones, however, persists. Meanwhile, Everett, after surreptitiously entering one of the storage units, discovers a bulletin board with pictures, notes, and newspaper clippings of five girls who went missing from Herriman two decades earlier. Everett also believes he may have uncovered the perpetrator’s identity. The plot’s many twists and turns will stun and surprise readers. Suspense fans will get their money’s worth. Agent: Amy Moore-Benson, Meridian Artists. (May)