The Fall Guy

In his first stab at psychological suspense, poet and novelist Lasdun proves himself a pro. He takes the most basic narrative tools—a vacation home, a love triangle—and with an ear for inner monologue and an eye for choice social details, conjures a real-life atmosphere that feels just sinister enough to keep you checking over your shoulder. In a compact 250 pages, he managed to confound my expectations over and over again. I have read a lot of crime books in my time, but I had no idea who the Fall Guy was going to be until the book's very end. And even better, I'm still trying to figure out who the real Bad (or rather, Worst) Guy was.