Starred review from February 27, 2012
An island on an Adirondack lake becomes both a haven and a hell for three women in Unger’s tense psychological thriller. Kate Burke’s annual visits to Heart Island, owned by her wealthy parents, never go smoothly, mainly because of the uneasy relationship she has with her imperious 75-year-old mother, Birdie. Kate expects the next visit will be even more upsetting because she’s written a novel based on journals kept by her aunt and grandmother that’s a thinly veiled story of a love affair that ended in tragedy on the remote island. Meanwhile, Birdie has visions of a dark intruder prowling Heart Island at all hours. Finally, Emily, a waitress drifting through life, feels powerless to resist as her boyfriend pulls her into schemes that will betray the people closest to her. Unger (Die for You) skillfully builds the fissures in each of these women’s lives as she illustrates the power of the heart and the corrosive nature of lies. Agent: Elaine Markson: Markson Thoma Literary Agency.