Joy Osmanski

Simon & Schuster/Atria, February 2016

From bestselling author Tucker comes another suspenseful story of the secrets people try, and fail, to keep.

When Maggie Sparks goes to her friend's apartment to pack Celine Gonzalez's things, she has been told that Celine killed herself. The overdose of drugs and alcohol isn't like her, though, so Maggie doesn't know what to think.

Soon enough, secrets start coming to life. A series of journals detail the ways that Celine was making money...as an escort who started out only as a high-paid companion but who soon moved on to providing sex. Then there's a naked photo of a wealthy man who works at the same building where Celine held her day job. And a sex tape shows up later, one that can bring down someone whose career and life would crumble if the tape was leaked.

Blackmail, a vase worth millions, hidden cameras and tech spying are also discovered along the way. Maggie discovers that a friendly elderly neighbor can help in her quest for the truth while also discovering a possible new romance for herself with the building manager.

The plot is complex and the pacing is strong. The characters are well drawn, especially the elderly neighbor who might have been a paper cutout in the hands of a different author. The suspects in the crime are also well presented, and readers won't know for sure who's really involved in pushing Celine to the edge until the very end.

There was some loss of momentum at the end. Once the mystery falls away, the story is less interesting because the character support for the criminal isn't as intensive at that point. The story still provides a strong reading experience, however.

5 stars!

If you are interested in a similar type of work, try Reparation: A Novel of Love, Danger and Devotion.

I received an ARC from the publisher so I could write this review… (mere)