Libby Lost and Found

In Booth’s whimsical if half-baked debut, a beloved children’s author enlists a fan to help her finish a book. Libby Weeks, 40, is writing the highly anticipated conclusion to her popular fantasy series, published under the pseudonym F.T. Goldhero, when she’s diagnosed with early dementia. Flailing, Libby turns to Peanut Bixton, a devoted and prolific fan she meets on the internet, who turns out to be an 11-year-old girl. Like the protagonist of Libby’s series, Peanut is adopted and searching for her real parents. Peanut points out that there are plenty of other eerie similarities between her town in Colorado and the world in Libby’s books, such as a mysterious stranger who gives her a ride home one day, and who resembles Libby’s villain. As Libby’s dementia worsens and she misses deadlines, her publisher turns up the pressure, while Peanut learns about her origins. Booth leaves a few plot threads unresolved, such as a campaign to uncover Goldhero’s identity, and hints of fantastical ties between Peanut’s life and Libby’s work fail to bear fruit. Still, Booth ably evokes the logic of a child’s imagination in her portrayal of Peanut. Here’s hoping the author’s next effort will realize her potential. Agent: Jeff Kleinman, Folio Literary Management. (Oct.)