Girl in the Rearview Mirror

April 15, 2019
In Dimberg’s almost dizzyingly twisty debut, Finn Hunt escapes a problematic past to secure a job as nanny to four-year-old Amabel Martin, the feisty granddaughter of Sen. Jim Martin of Arizona. Finn’s bright future includes a blossoming romance with one of the senator’s top aides, Bryant Dewitt. But she’s about to discover that even deeply buried secrets, her own as well as the Martins’, have a way of surfacing—with life-shattering consequences. The first hint of trouble is the attractive young woman named Iris who Amabel insists has been following them at campaign stops. When Finn finally confronts Iris, Iris makes a claim that could be damaging to the senator’s restaurateur son and the senator’s campaign if made public. But in the first of a series of bad decisions, rather than turning to Bryant for help with the matter, Finn embarks on some increasingly risky (and far-fetched) sleuthing. With a few wobbles, the plot speeds to the bombshell final betrayal. Dimberg’s evocative prose and affecting characters flag her as a writer to watch. Agent: Dan Conaway, Writers House.

May 1, 2019
When tragedy strikes, the members of an influential Arizona family prove how far they will go to maintain a wholesome public image. Finn Hunt loves everything about her job caring for Senator Martin's sweet granddaughter, Amabel: her closeness with Amabel, Philip and Marina Martin's glamorous desert home, and, above all, the feeling of being useful. But Finn's bliss is threatened when she's confronted by Iris, who claims to be pregnant with Philip's child and begs Finn to persuade him to talk to her. Otherwise, she's going public, and the scandal will collapse Amabel's (and Finn's) world. Despite Finn's best efforts, Iris contacts Marina, and weeks of marital strife end in tragedy when Amabel, thought to be napping, drowns in the pool. Suddenly ousted from the Martins' circle and threatened by Iris' increasing viciousness, Finn becomes obsessed with discovering a link between Iris' manipulations and Amabel's death. Although the novel is hampered by disconnected plotlines and an underweight conclusion, Finn's raw, relatable perspective will hook readers. Dimberg is one to watch.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)