Just Between Us

October 30, 2017
Set in Pittsburgh, Pa., this twisty domestic thriller from Drake (Only Ever You) focuses on suburban moms Heather Lysenko, Alison Riordan, Julie Phelps, and Sarah Walker. When Alison asks about a bruise on Heather’s arm, Heather brushes her off. But then Sarah sees a welt on Heather’s abdomen and Julie overhears an argument between Heather and her husband, Viktor, which convince the other women that their friend is being abused. Heather reluctantly confirms their suspicions, but insists that she doesn’t have the resources to leave her marriage. The trio fear that Viktor will kill Heather, until Alison receives a shocking phone call: Viktor is dead, and Heather needs their help. Julie, Sarah, and Alison gather at Heather’s house and make a rash decision that will change their lives and test the limits of their friendship. Drake initially relies too heavily on foreshadowing to create suspense, but the second half of her book is tense, bombshell-laden, and action-packed. The women take turns narrating, adding nuance and depth to the tale. Agent: Rachel Eckstrom, Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

November 1, 2017
Female friendships flourish, then falter, under the weight of chance events underlaid by secrecy and deceit. Four women meet when they drop off their children for preschool in their Pittsburgh suburb: Alison, an IT consultant who works from home; Julie, a high-powered real-estate agent; Sarah, a lawyer who's a stay-at-home-mom, and Heather, a former model and trophy wife of a prominent plastic surgeon. Soon they're a tight group. Their story, told in alternate (but sometimes indistinguishable) voices, starts when Alison spots a bad bruise on Heather's wrist and escalates to strong concerns on the part of the other three that Heather is the victim of domestic abuse. So when there's a murder, presumably committed in self-defense, the group races to deal with it by creating an intricate cover-up. The tangled web they weave takes its toll on their nerves and their concerned husbands, as they become victims themselves before critical secrets are unearthed. Drake, whose hardcover debut was Only Ever You (2016), shows a sure hand in spinning suburban thrillers, as in this example of chick-lit turned dark.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)