The Boy That Never Was

October 21, 2013
In the prologue—set in 2005 in Tangier—of this smart missing-child thriller from Perry (the joint pseudonym of Paul Perry and Karen Gillece), struggling Irish artist Harry Lonergan slips out of the house on his wife’s birthday to pick up a present for her, leaving their sleeping three-year-old son, Dillon, behind. Before Harry can return home, an earthquake rocks Tangier, and Dillon goes missing and is presumed dead amid the rubble. Flash forward to 2010 Dublin, where Harry catches a glimpse of an older Dillon among a crowd of antigovernment demonstrators. Harry decides to search for Dillon without informing his wife, Robin, who, meanwhile, discovers she’s pregnant. Harry continues hunting for Dillon, while Robin worries Harry may be suffering a nervous collapse as a result of his obsessed quest. In the end, the consequences of the Lonergans’ carefree years spent living as expatriates in Tangier come back to haunt them. Deceit, infidelity, and surprising twists make this a satisfying debut. Agent: Kari Stuart, ICM.