Orchard Grove

November 9, 2015
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.

Starred review from December 15, 2015
Sounding like something Donald E. Westlake might have written in the latter years of his career, Zandri's new thriller is a riveting story of a down-and-out screenwriter who becomes obsessed with a comely new neighbor. Stories like this succeed or fail on the strength of their characters, and this one succeeds very well. Ethan, the 50-year-old screenwriter, is already poised for a fall when his new neighbor, Lana, moves in next door: he hasn't sold a script in years, his house is in foreclosure, his wife has no interest in him, and he's barely able to walk following foot surgery. And Lana? She's beautiful, cunning, seductive, andthis isn't a spoiler, the author wants us to know right from the get-goshe's a serial killer. The story goes pretty much where you're expecting it to go, although not necessarily following the route you'd expect it to take, but, oh, what a story it is: grisly, surprising, and page-turningly suspenseful. Ethan's not having much fun, but that's the joy of reading this kind of novel: we can be having a great time, even as the lead character is suffering. Of course, let's face it, Ethan deserves most of what he gets. A terrific old-school thriller.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)