Orchard Grove

In this chilling tale of obsessive love from Thriller Award–winner Zandri (Moonlight Weeps), Hollywood scriptwriter Ethan Forrester, who lives with his wife in Orchard Grove, N.Y., is attracted to Lana Cattivo, the sultry blond who moves next door with her husband, an Albany detective. Unbeknownst to her neighbors and her husband, Lana lived as a child on the same land, then an apple orchard. Buried under a tree lies the body of her sexually abusive stepfather, whom Lana killed with a meat cleaver when she was 13. Lana later evolved into a seductive, manipulative serial killer. Now, as Ethan’s once-loving marriage deteriorates, he sits all day, unable to write, spying on Lana, who lies sunbathing barely clothed on her deck. Ethan’s involvement with Lana propels him into a series of bad choices, which leave him fleeing for his life. As the riveting, if at times unbelievable, plot gathers steam, readers will hope that Ethan manages to avert a tragic ending, despite the odds. Agent: Chip MacGregor, MacGregory Literary. (Jan.)