Gone by Morning

Early in Miller’s intricately plotted debut, Kathleen Harris, a 68-year-old retired madam, escapes unharmed from a Times Square subway bombing. That night at her Upper Manhattan apartment, Kathleen receives a call from Sharon Williams, a friend who used to work for her. Sharon asks if she can drop by, but she never arrives, and the next day her body is found in Queens. A neighbor of Kathleen’s, Emily Silverman, tells Kathleen she saw Sharon near their building stopped by a man. Sharon then got into his car, seemingly voluntarily. A few nights later, a raging fire, ruled to be arson, devastates Emily and Kathleen’s building. The two women begin to wonder whether Sharon’s murder and the fire are somehow related. Their efforts to uncover what’s going on put their lives in danger. Emily’s discovery of shocking secrets in her family’s past raises the tension, as do passages from the bomber’s viewpoint. The twists and turns will keep readers spellbound. Miller is off to a promising start. Agent: Susan Ginsburg, Writers House. (Aug.)