Subject 375

August 1, 2016
Owen’s ambitious, often confusing first novel launches the Project trilogy, featuring Dr. Maria Martinez Villanueva, a consultant plastic surgeon with Asperger’s syndrome, who was convicted of the murder of Joseph O’Donnell, a Catholic priest. Settings and circumstances shift abruptly from Maria’s cell in London’s Goldmouth Prison to sessions with her therapist and with her psychiatrist, often giving the reader no clue about the transition. What is clear is that Maria has remarkable talents for absorbing data and solving puzzles, has no recollection of killing O’Donnell, and struggles to maintain her sanity in a situation where she can trust no one. Gradually, Maria makes discoveries suggesting that she is a “subject” per the cryptic title, that MI5 is somehow involved, that people she trusted were “handlers,” and that the mysterious Project Callidus is at the heart of all that has happened to her. Maria’s struggles are unresolved, paving the way for the next installment for those who may feel compelled to follow her adventures. Agent: Adam Gauntlett, Peters, Fraser, and Dunlop.

Narrator January LaVoy adds to the intense atmosphere of this psychological thriller. As Maria tries to adjust to the noise, distractions, and general sensory overload of prison after her conviction for murder, LaVoy makes her fears palpable. Relying on pace and tone, LaVoy captures Maria's growing anxiety at the disruption of her former routine and her forced confrontation of a murder she doesn't recall. It's obvious that Maria has Asperger's syndrome, and LaVoy capitalizes on her behavior--her dispassionate recitation of facts, stilted interactions with other characters, and increasing apprehension. Overall, LaVoy's depiction of Maria as a sympathetic and intriguing character heightens the tension of the conspiracy that is revealed through the story's twists and turns. J.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine