Henrietta (Hen) and Lloyd Mazur recently moved to a Boston suburb called West Dartford.
There, Hen, who's an artist, can rent a workspace in a nearby artist's studio and Lloyd can take the train to his job in the big city. Hen is bipolar, and - before she was properly medicated - sometimes acted out in bizarre ways.
In college, for example, Hen attacked a fellow coed she thought was trying to kill her. And more recently, Hen became obsessed with the unsolved murder - two years ago - of a man named Dustin Miller. Hen compulsively followed the story in the media and and ceaselessly talked about it to her husband. Hen has the correct prescriptions now, and seems to be doing well.
Hen and Lloyd have no children and are drawn to their new next-door neighbors in West Dartford, Matthew and Mira Dolamore, who are childless as well.
The Dolamores invite Hen and Lloyd to dinner, and when Hen admires the Dolamore's decor, are given a tour of the house.
In Matthew's study, Hen observes an object that shakes her to the core. Matthew is displaying a fencing trophy that (Hen believes) was stolen from homicide victim Dustin Miller by his killer....as reported in newspapers.
Hen is certain Matthew murdered Miller, spurred on by the fact that - many years ago - Miller attended the high school where Matthew teaches history. Hen goes to the police with her 'evidence', but given her bipolar illness and previous behavior, the police are VERY skeptical of her 'discovery.'
Hen can't let it go, and starts stalking Matthew, watching him from her window and sneaking out at night to follow him in her car.
More murders follow, and - at one point - it seems like Hen herself may become a suspect.
The book is narrated in the rotating voices of the main characters, some of whom aren't reliable, so it's hard to predict the surprises that are coming.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of dark psychological thrillers.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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