Rumor of evil : a novel / Gary Braver.

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Title:

Rumor of evil : a novel / Gary Braver.

Author:

Braver, Gary, author.

ISBN:

9781608095933

Physical Description:

324 pages ; 24 cm

General Note:

Includes book club discussion questions.

Abstract:

"A woman hanged herself - or did she? And how did the treehouse catch fire? Detectives Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing are charged with investigating a reported suicide of a Cambridge woman in her backyard. The death came as a shock--the woman was considered a pillar of her community and was well-liked by everyone. After further investigation, the hanging appears staged. Once Kirk and Mandy's suspicions are confirmed, they make a list of suspects. Clues begin to connect the recent murder to the decades-old mysterious death of a beautiful 16-year-old Romany exchange student who perished when a treehouse she was sleeping in caught fire. The girl, Vadima Lupescu, had done "odd" things among her American peers that stirred up prejudices and suspicions, leading to her brutal death--and cover-up. As Kirk and Mandy investigate the bizarre rumors--that Vadima had "gypsy powers" and put curses on those around her--they discover a cauldron of dark secrets. Will they uncover the true cause of this tangled web of deaths and horrors before it spirals out of control?"-- Dust jacket flap.

Subject Term:

Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction.

Cold cases (Criminal investigation) -- Fiction.

Secrecy -- Fiction.

Meurtre -- Enquêtes -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Crimes non résolus -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Secret -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Cold cases (Criminal investigation)

Murder -- Investigation

Secrecy

Geographic Term:

Cambridge (Mass.) -- Fiction.

Massachusetts -- Cambridge

Genre:

Detective and mystery fiction

Detective and mystery fiction.

Paranormal fiction.

Novels.

Romans.

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Adult Mystery Fiction Book Hardback	120791003087697	F BRA	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

A 16-year-old exchange student accused of witchcraft--dark circumstances and sick rumors lead to her brutal death, a cover-up, and more murders two decades later

Detectives Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing are charged with investigating a reported suicide of a Cambridge woman in her backyard. The death came as a shock--the woman was considered a pillar of her community and was well-liked by everyone. After further investigation, the hanging appears staged. Once Kirk and Mandy's suspicions are confirmed, they make a list of suspects.

Clues begin to connect the recent murder to the decades-old mysterious death of a beautiful 16-year-old Romany exchange student who perished when a treehouse she was sleeping in caught fire. The girl, Vadima Lupescu, had done "odd" things among her American peers that stirred up prejudices and suspicions, leading to her brutal death--and cover-up.

As Kirk and Mandy investigate the bizarre rumors--that Vadima had "gypsy powers" and put curses on those around her--they discover a cauldron of dark secrets. Will they uncover the true cause of this tangled web of deaths and horrors before it spirals out of control?

Perfect for fans of Stephen King and Tess Gerritsen

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Braver (Choose Me) skillfully alternates timelines in this unpredictable whodunit set in Cambridge, Mass. When 36-year-old Sylvie Thornton's landscaper finds her hanging from a tree in her backyard on the third anniversary of her son Devon's death, detectives Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing are called to the scene. Shortly after Devon's death from cancer, Sylvia divorced her husband, and her surviving son went to live with his father. Kirk, who lost his own child in an unsolved hit-and-run, at first suspects that Sylvie took her own life, but an autopsy reveals foul play. The plot thickens when Kirk and Mandy learn that Sylvie attempted to blackmail her ex-husband a year earlier. Flashbacks set 19 years before the main action, concerning the death of a Slovakian exchange student who was classmates with Sylvie, tease potential connections to Sylvie's murder. When Kirk and Mandy learn of that long-ago death, they unravel some dark truths about contemporary Cambridge. Braver interweaves a convincing police procedural and a character-driven high school drama, bringing both threads to a surprising and satisfying resolution. Here's hoping Kirk and Mandy are on the case again soon. Agent: Esmond Harmsworth, Aevitas Creative Management. (Oct.)

Booklist Review

Boston cop Kirk Lucian's life is in turmoil. After the tragic hit-and-run death of his daughter, he and his wife, Olivia, were consumed by depression and grief and agreed to a trial separation. As Olivia moves out, Kirk is assigned a new partner--novice cop Mandy Wing--and he hopes a challenging investigation will temporarily take his mind off his troubles. The body of Sylvie Thornton is found hanging from a tree in her backyard, and Kirk suspects Sylvie may have been murdered. After days of searching for leads and interrogating Sylvie's friends and family, Kirk and Mandy eventually discover a terrible secret from Sylvie's past involving a pretty exchange student, illicit sex, witchcraft, a gang of vengeful teens, a tragic fire, and revenge. Kirk and Mandy know that they must not only find Sylvie's killer but also stop that person from killing others who were involved in the decades-old events. Suspenseful and fast paced, with unexpected and shocking twists, this dark story is filled with flawed, all-too-human characters, tense family relationships, and a haunting conclusion. Highly recommended.