Framed

February 1, 2020

DEBUT Washed-up piano prodigy Beth Montgomery hates her husband and her life. Deep in debt, she watches him flirt with other women and sink money into a dream project, while she toils away as a music teacher. When her college roommate Cassie Ogilvy turns up, she reluctantly offers her spare bedroom. Unbeknownst to Beth, her old friend is on the run with a bag of cash, has been implicated in an attempted murder, and is wanted by the man she double-crossed. Hard feelings, long-buried memories, and circumstance set Beth and her friend on a collision course culminating in the ultimate betrayal and eventual frame-up. VERDICT Short chapters and engaging storytelling with alternating perspectives make this a quick read. A somewhat predictable resolution is offset by a surprise twist in the final pages. The nonlinear plot might confuse some readers, but fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies will find much to love. [See Prepub Alert, 7/29/19.]--Vicki Briner, Broomfield, CO

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Starred review from December 16, 2019
Timid Beth Montgomery and fearless Cassie Ogilvy, the protagonists of McInnis’s exceptional first suspense novel, were roommates one year at Boston’s New England Institute of Music. They became best friends, but something happened that resulted in Beth’s wanting never to see Cassie again after leaving college. Years later, in Los Angeles, Beth appears to have the perfect life—a handsome husband and a beautiful mansion. But she and her would-be film producer husband are drowning in debt, he cheats on her, and she has given up her dream of a music career. Cassie’s life doesn’t even have the veneer of success, and she has just fled the scene of a quadruple homicide, including the death of an undercover LAPD officer, the result of a botched drug deal. Disguised in a blonde wig and carrying a suitcase full of blood-splattered cash, the panicky Cassie invades Beth’s home, hoping to avoid the police and her violent boyfriend. Though each woman thinks she knows the other one, trust issues, deceit, and hidden agendas are at the heart of their reunion. Believable secrets, lies, and twists propel this edgy thriller, a fresh riff on the Gone Girl motif. Agent: Helen Heller, Helen Heller Agency (Canada).

January 1, 2020
This debut psychological thriller starts with a simple event?a few drinks with an old friend?that leads to a nightmare. After reconnecting with former college roommate Cassie Oglivy, Beth Montgomery invites her to stay at Beth's home while Cassie sorts out "a few things." You know, things like drug dealing, murder, and the determined, Gatorade-addicted LAPD detective who is looking for her. Piano teacher Beth soon finds that Cassie's presence is recalculating the metronome of her life. A shocking late-night phone call and Cassie's sudden disappearance make Beth realize that her gleaming and showy life may be gone forever. Beth's already disintegrating marriage is strained even further when her husband is arrested for Cassie's murder, although why Beth has stayed with such a shallow and duplicitous man is a mystery. Her finally owning up to herself about her past and embracing Cassie's ability to just grab what she wants randomly and not worry about the consequences leads to a darkly twisted, yet oddly satisfying, conclusion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)