Stolen Things

May 6, 2019
At the start of the pseudonymous Herron’s riveting first novel, Laurie Ahmadi, a San Bernal, Calif., 911 police dispatcher, freaks at the sound of the caller’s voice—it’s unmistakably her 16-year-old daughter, Jojo. Within minutes, Laurie will have even greater cause for alarm when officers, including her husband, Omid, the San Bernal police chief, discover Jojo woozy and unable to walk in a mansion belonging to pro football player Kevin Leeds, a polarizing African-American activist—feet away from a murdered man. A lot more trouble follows, including the disappearance of Jojo’s friend Harper Cunningham, with whom Jojo went to a protest against police brutality earlier in the day of the 911 call. Readers will relate to Laurie and Jojo’s believably prickly relationship and the teen’s efforts to define herself as blue (a member of a police family), “half brown” (dad Omid is Persian), and, possibly, bisexual. Though the story is eventually swamped by a convoluted police corruption subplot, the fearless mother-daughter duo rates a return appearance. Herron, a former Bay Area 911 dispatcher, is definitely a writer to watch. Agent: Susanna Einstein, Einstein Literary Management.

June 1, 2019
Cop-turned-dispatcher Laurie takes a 911 call that's straight from her worst nightmare: her daughter, JoJo, is begging for help. She's been drugged and sexually assaulted, and she can't remember how she ended up in pro-football-player Kevin Leeds' house. In a closet near where JoJo is eventually found, Laurie discovers Leeds' trainer's body. Despite Jojo's insistence that Kevin wouldn't have attacked her, Leeds is arrested for JoJo's rape and the murder, but things become more complicated when they discover that JoJo's best friend, Harper, is missing. JoJo, Harper, and Kevin's connection shocks Laurie and JoJo's father, Omid, who is the police chief in the Northern California town of San Bernal. JoJo and Laurie had grown close through activism against police brutality. The stress causes Omid to suffer a heart attack, and, when JoJo discovers evidence that Harper was sleeping with San Bernal cops for money, she and Laurie realize they are Harper's only hope. Herron, a former emergency dispatcher, offers a twisty revenge tale buoyed by successful red herrings, relatable characters, and headline-grabbing themes (police brutality, racism, child exploitation, and sexual identity).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2019

Laurie Ahmadi is an ex-cop and current 911 dispatcher married to Omid, the chief of police in a small Northern California town. They share an enjoyable life with their teen daughter, JoJo, until the night it all implodes. Answering a 911 call, Laurie hears "Mama? Help me." Jojo, who was drugged and cannot remember details of the night, has been tied to a bed and raped in a house belonging to NFL star Kevin Leeds, famous for his stance against police brutality. A murder victim is found in another room. How is 16-year-old Jojo involved with these people? And where is Harper, Jojo's best friend, who was with her that night? Herron treats us to a thriller that slowly peels back the layers of dirty secrets kept by all the people involved--the cops, Harper, Omid, Laurie, Jojo--no one is what they seem. VERDICT With the current social climate as backdrop, this novel touches on race, homosexuality, police brutality, teenage love, rape, and murder, all within an intense read. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter or Lisa Scottoline. [See Prepub Alert, 2/11/19.]--Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park H.S., MD

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019

When Jojo Ahmadi, daughter of 911 police dispatcher Laurie Ahmadi and her police chief husband, is found drugged and raped at the home of pro football player Kevin Leeds, everyone assumes it's part of Leeds's antipolice stance. But the evidence differs. From a pseudonymous author writing her first thriller.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.