Literary Scene: Three Thrilling New Novels

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | October 2021

Beneath Devil’s Bridge
(Montlake, June 2021)
by Loreth Anne White

I’ve long been a fan of true crime podcasts, and that very thing is at the heart of Loreth Anne White’s new book, Beneath Devil’s Bridge. True crime podcaster Trinity Scott is exploring details about the brutal assault and murder of a fourteen-year-old girl back in 1997. The girl’s guidance counselor confessed to the crime and has been in jail ever since. Case closed, right? To uncover more details about the crime, Trinity tries to speak to Rachel Walczak, the retired detective who handled that case. Rachel refuses—she doesn’t want to relive the past. 

But Trinity uncovers shocking information that does get Rachel’s attention—Trinity visited the “murderer” in jail and he’s now swearing that he didn’t commit the crime. The real killer is still on the loose. This closed case is anything but, it seems. White follows both Trinity and Rachel (mostly the latter) as they work through a web of lies to find long-hidden truths.

The book is told in two timelines, with a present-day story paired with the original events from twenty-four years prior. The podcast format, too, is used to deliver information that helps readers along the many twists and turns. 

While White’s book is fiction, it’s based on an actual gruesome murder from British Columbia from two decades ago. Even without that true-crime basis, this story is full of thick atmosphere, well-wrought characters, and a binge-worth storyline that delivers all the way up to a compelling conclusion. This is a darn good murder mystery.

Ryan’s Rating: 4.25 out of 5
www.lorethannewhite.com

Suburban Dicks
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons, June 2021)
by Fabian Nicieza

When I realized Argentine-American writer Fabian Nicieza was the co-creator of the Marvel comic character Deadpool, I knew I had to read and review his debut novel, Suburban Dicks. In this amateur-sleuth murder mystery, Andie Stern, a once-promising FBI profiler, gave up that career to raise a big family. Now she’s living in New Jersey with four kids, and one on the way (“about 47 months” of being pregnant, if Andie’s to be believed). She’s engrossed in soccer games, recitals, screaming children, and all the kid-stuff one expects.

Then she stumbles across a murder scene at the local gas station. The cops are bumbling everything—they’re hopelessly overmatched by the situation. Andie can’t help herself. She gets involved in trying to solve the case, and she brings her kids along with her! (Yes, this part defies logic a bit, but hey, when you’re known for creating something crazy like Deadpool, you’re allowed to defy a bit of logic in your stories.)

Andie teams up with a disgraced journalist, Kenny Lee, who’s just as interested in solving this case. More bodies turn up, and the duo starts to suspect that racial tensions of the present and past are part of the deadly equation.

The book has some timely social commentary about suburban racism and the can-you-win? challenge of a mom and wife who “has it all.” The book’s most prominent feature, though, is its constant irreverent humor and wisecracks. You might just find yourself laughing out loud more than once.

This is a memorable romp of a mystery with a triple dose of charm.

Ryan’s Rating: 4.25 out of 5
www.fabiannicieza.com

Dream Girl
(William Morrow, June 2021)
by Laura Lippman

Laura Lippman’s new novel, Dream Girl, feels like a nod to Stephen King’s Misery. In her story, big-time writer Gerry Anderson moves from NYC to Baltimore to be near his dying mother. Then he has an accident that leaves him dependent on a nurse and a helper. But things get stranger when a woman calls, claiming to be Aubrey—the heroine of Dream Girl, Gerry’s biggest success by far. Only Aubrey is entirely made up! 

Gerry’s a jerk with a few ex-wives and dozens of one-night stands in his rearview mirror. Is he being toyed with by a jilted, angry ex? Is Gerry just an unreliable narrator? Does he have the same mental issues his own mother suffers? 

Two things might move this from a must-read to a maybe-read. One is the pace. It’s a slow burn, no doubt about it. The other is Gerry himself. He’s truly an awful person, and we spend a lot of time in his head. Some readers won’t relish that. Lippman ratchets up the tension by moving between the present and the past, so we see Gerry in action, objectifying women, and being a stereotypical “successful” jerky dude.

What offsets that to a degree is that most of the other people in Gerry’s life are interesting. Plus, there’s Lippman’s sense of humor and satire that offers some irony to all that happens. The second half of the book really picks up, as well, and the ending brings things to a fairly satisfying close.

Lippman is a first-rate mystery writer. Half of her fans will love that she’s expanding into the psychological thriller realm, and half will lament that fact. No matter what, a lot of people are talking about Lippman and this book. Maybe read it to see why?

Ryan’s Rating: 4 out of 5