Kate White, Hush

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately: too busy to read much, and stuck in so-so books when I did have the time. Then Kate White's Hush came along and saved me. The book features Lake Warren as a newly separated media consultant, currently working on a campaign for a fertility clinic. Her husband is suddenly interested in getting full custody of the kids, and she's been warned not to give him any ammunition to use against her in court. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but with her son and daughter away at sleep-away camp and a flirtatious doctor coming on to her, one thing leads to another.....

The climax isn't quite what she expected. One arguably unwise decision later and she's caught in a nightmare, and her particular circumstances make asking for help out of the question. It gets worse from there. The author does a great job of separating Lake from any possible avenue of escape, and in ways that are perfectly credible, while expertly ratcheting up the tension. The kids are out of sight and thus vulnerable, adding a further layer of concern. And neither she nor we know whom she can trust. My only complaints are minor. Lake's birthmark is mentioned often enough that it's surprising it doesn't turn out to be relevant to the plot. And in my edition there is a teaser before the first chapter, an excerpt from the later stages of the story. I would have much preferred going into the book without that hint of things to come. Otherwise, simply excellent. This is a breathless, well-crafted read.