ONE FALSE MOVE

Family secrets can be buried deep but still create a tight bond. Melanie has such a bond with her brother. When Jared's new lawyer wins his release from prison on a technicality after he has served five years for a brutal rape and murder, Melanie has misgivings when he comes to live with her. Then he draws her and her son into a bank robbery that goes bad, along with a subsequent killing spree. Laura Hicks plays on the ordinariness of the characters, who find themselves in a situation that has spiraled out of control. She draws out the contrast between the quiet personalities of the characters and the randomness and brutality of their violent acts. As Hicks delivers the twists of the plot, the suspense builds effectively. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]