Why Did You Come Back Every Summer

López Peiró documents in her potent debut the sexual abuse allegations she brought against her police commissioner uncle, blending excerpts from actual case documents with fictional narration from various family members. Belén is 22 when she files the criminal complaint in Buenos Aires against her 47-year-old uncle, claiming that he abused her multiple times when she was an adolescent. In vignettes, various relatives chime in on the situation and think back on their own interactions with both the accuser and the accused. Taken together, these brief scenes spotlight the ways in which a clan is disrupted when skeletons emerge from the closet. Fractures appear as family members pick sides, and it isn’t long before other secrets, including more potential victims, emerge. Peppered throughout are statements from lawyers, doctors, and others working on the case, as well as documents from Argentina’s Department of Justice, including psych evaluations and affidavits. López Peiró writes with authority, navigating the novel’s tough subject matter while avoiding clichéd pitfalls. Fearless and distinctive, this is vital reading. (Apr.)