The Last Good Day
Lynn Schulman brings her husband and children back to the peaceful New York suburb she escaped after high school to get away from the post 9/11 dangers of city life. But when the headless body of her oldest friend turns up in the river and the cop who investigates turns out to be an old boyfriend still seething at her betrayal of their adolescent romance, her safe haven turns out to be as sinister and threatening as the mean streets she left behind. Mike Fallon hasn't forgotten her--as his own life spirals down into personal failure and professional ruin, he focuses his attention on recapturing the girl who got away and the dreams that went with her. Blauner is a skillful writer who manages with a few quick brushstrokes to capture both the placidly calm exterior of a small suburban town and the dark secrets that seethe beneath it. Good plotting, nicely drawn characters, and a deft hand with the narrative drive this solid thriller to the last page.--Jane Adams