Emma in the Night

Starred review from June 5, 2017
At the start of this searing psychological thriller from Walker (All Is Not Forgotten), Cass Tanner returns home alone—three years after she vanished at age 15 from a beach on Long Island Sound, along with her then 17-year-old sister, Emma. Cass tells a detailed story about being held captive on an island in Maine, but she’s oddly short on specifics that would help locate the site. FBI forensic psychologist Abigail Winter, one of the original investigators, gets back on the case. Abby believes that the girls’ disappearance is related to emotional turmoil within the family. Cass and Emma fought bitterly, egged on by their divorced mother, Judy Martin, who thrived as a minor celebrity after her daughters went missing. Cass believes that the only one who really “sees” the family’s problems is Abby, whose own mother was much like Judy. Walker’s portrayal of the ways in which a narcissistic, self-involved mother can affect her children deepens the plot as it builds to a shocking finale. 125,000-copy first printing. Author tour. Agent: Wendy Sherman, Wendy Sherman Associates Literary Management.

Narrators Therese Plummer and Julia Whelan team up to deliver a twisted psychological thriller. Teenage sisters Emma and Cass Tanner disappeared three years ago. Now three years later, Cass returns--without Emma. Forensic psychologist Abigail Winter is on the case to find out where Emma is, why the sisters left home, and what happened after that. A mellow numbness to both narrators' voices gives a weary feeling to the dialogue, which can be shocking and intriguing. The moments of Cass's despair are depicted with strong, energetic emotion, and Abby's curiosity and determination to solve the mystery are evident. Every crucial point in the story is supported by the intensity of narration. EMMA IN THE NIGHT splendidly combines betrayal, obsession, narcissism, and secrets. D.Z. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine