The Elizas

January 22, 2018
At the start of this provocative, if at times predictable, psychological thriller from bestseller Shepard (Everything We Ever Wanted), Burbank, Calif., native Eliza Fontaine wakes up in the hospital. Days before, she was fished from the bottom of a Palm Springs resort’s swimming pool in what appeared to be her latest suicide attempt. Yet this time, Eliza insists that someone pushed her. Her frustrated family suggests that she’s unwell and should check into a facility, but Eliza is certain that she knows the truth and is determined to find out who might have a reason to want her dead. Meanwhile, her debut novel, The Dots, about a young girl with a brain tumor and the glamorous aunt who cares for her, is nearing publication. But the more Eliza looks into her past, the more it’s apparent there are holes in her memory and it’s unclear how much her book of fiction is based on half-recollected history. While the shifts between Eliza’s investigation and excerpts from The Dots can be jarring, Eliza’s voice draws readers in, and her unreliable memory creates tension. Gillian Flynn fans will be satisfied. Agent: Andy McNicol, William Morris Endeavor.