SURREAL ABSURDITY

A retired lawyer spends his days painting, drinking wine, and narrowly escaping death in Lively’s thriller sequel.

After Charles Pierce retired from his law practice, he began painting and finally enjoying quiet time. All that changed, however, when a widow named Jamie tried to poison him, due to the fact that an insurance company—one of Charles’ clients—denied a claim; Lively wrote about these events in Aberrant Behavior (2020). Now, Jamie has apparently killed a hotel employee, and Charles has to deal with the gruff Detective Gonzales. Meanwhile, Charles has also been asked to do some pro bonowork for the Contemporary Dallas Art Dealers Association; this leads him to meet the vibrant Sam, who owns a Dallas art gallery where Charles soon begins a renting a studio. Painting and entertaining in the studio is wonderful—at first. Then Charles’ life is once again turned upside down when a mysterious figure tries to shoot him while he’s leaving the place one night. Then, to make matters even worse, someone’s stalking Charles’ friend Rachel, claiming that he knows Charles. Overall, this is an engaging and suspenseful sequel, and it’s also one that works well as a stand-alone. There are a great many plot threads, but two main stories stand out: Jamie’s trial and trying to seek forgiveness from Charles and perhaps grow as a person; and the mystery of the shooter and a series of crimes that all seem to have a direct connection to Charles. For the most part, the protagonist is pleasant and relatable throughout, although his reactions to some of the more momentous events feel implausibly restrained. Other characters, such as Jamie, Detective Gonzales, Sam, and Rachel, are more entertaining and create a pleasant atmosphere amid all the suspense.

A complex and intense mystery featuring a companionable cast.