FICTION

A Map of the Dark

Mulholland: Little, Brown. Jan. 2018. 304p. ISBN 9780316505666. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780316505673. F
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FBI agent Elsa Myer has a lot on her plate. Her father is dying of cancer. Her relationships with her sister and niece are complicated. And she's been assigned the case of a missing girl, abducted from Forest Hills, Queens, who may be the victim of a serial offender. When not interviewing witnesses or chasing down leads, Elsa keeps vigil at her terminally ill father's bedside. There she traces memories of her own difficult childhood—including a series of horrific events that continue to define her. While savvy readers won't have too much trouble identifying the kidnapper or teasing out the shocking revelation at the center of Elsa's tragic backstory, they will still be captivated by the tight prose, strong characters, and deft storytelling.
VERDICT Ellis, the pen name for crime novelist Katia Lief ("Karin Schaeffer" series), has written a riveting tale that begs to be read in one sitting. Readers who enjoy police procedurals and Karin Slaughter's thrillers will delight in discovering a new voice.
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