An intricate psychological thriller, this debut and series kickoff introduces Oscar de la Nuit, forensic psychiatrist and the director of Whitner Psychiatric Hospital, as he treats–and gently questions– journalist Jessica Green, a woman suspected of kidnapping a four-year-old girl who went missing while playing hide-and-seek with her daughter. Jessica, already labeled a “baby killer” and found guilty by the court of public opinion, has been placed in preventive detention at Whitner Hospital until investigators can conclusively link her to Mia’s disappearance. Still reeling from his divorce and the death of his son Riley, Oscar sets off to discover the truth about Jessica’s involvement in the disappearance of Mia Edwards.

From the opening pages, Webb’s story teems with intrigue, mystery, and enticing uncertainty. Readers are thrust into Oscar’s anxiety-stricken world as he awaits Jessica’s arrival. Time-alternating chapters between Jessica’s then and Oscar’s build suspense and provide critical background information, while revealing character and teasing out the pleasingly layered and perplexing truth, especially once Oscar gains a bit of her trust and realizes that Jessica’s silence and unwillingness to cooperate in the investigation might not be a sign of guilt, but her way of protecting someone close to her.

A reluctance to reveal their true selves thematically connects the two characters, and Webb’s short, crisply written chapters, most building to moments of decision or excitement as past catches up to present, reveal their experience in counterpoint while inviting readers to unravel their secrets. “We’re all a little afraid of what we are,” someone tells Jessica. Webb also takes full advantage of the opportunities for engaging subplots offered by the world of Whitner Hospital and its environs, such as Oscar’s budding relationship with colleague Hale, while trouble with the backstabbing, envious Charles Aston increases the stakes with workplace drama that is sure to keep readers engrossed in the story.

Takeaway: Fans of mind-bending psychological thrillers will appreciate this tangled tale.

Great for fans of: Alex Michaelides’s The Silent Patient, Lisa Socttoline’s Every Fifteen Minutes.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A