Review by Booklist Review
When her mother dies, 37-year-old Nicola returns to her small Appalachian hometown to sell the family house. The place is rife with memories, foremost among them that of the mysterious disappearance 16 years earlier of her friend Lauren. Now, Nicola finds herself in a relationship with Warren, Lauren's bereft husband, and working as a teacher for Warren's younger brother, Sean, principal of the local high school with whom she had had an ambiguous relationship when they were teens. Emotional and other complications ensue, the only constants being Lauren's continuing absence and the speculation that she's dead, perhaps murdered; speaking of which, Nicola is now in danger herself, for she begins receiving threatening notes written in blood-red ink, saying, "No one wants you here." Told in Nicola's first-person voice, Stewart's rather slow-paced story is not without its moments of welcome suspense and it will attract and engage the ever-increasing audience for domestic suspense.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this promising if flawed slice of psychological suspense from Stewart (Wild Girls, as Mary Stuart Atwell), Nicola Bennett remains obsessed with the never-solved disappearance of her high school friend Lauren Ballard 16 years ago--and haunted by the suspicion that she may have made the young woman a target. So when Nicola's mother's death brings her back to her Appalachian hometown, the unemployed English professor sets out to solve the mystery herself. Not much has changed in Tyndall County since her teen years, when the protective wings of queen bee Lauren were the only thing keeping Nicola from becoming a total outcast. Except, that is, for the sparks suddenly flying between Nicola and Lauren's hunky widower, who would have been scrutinized harder by investigators had he not belonged to one of the county's most prominent families. As Nicola retraces Lauren's steps in search of clues, it dawns on her that her obsession with Lauren's case may have more to do with her own self-image than justice for her friend. Stewart doesn't quite stick the landing after a climactic twist, but her messy, endearing lead and swift pacing make for a mostly thrilling ride. This should please fans of Megan Miranda and Megan Abbott. Agent: Denise Shannon, Denise Shannon Literary. (June)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
