Arson investigator Billy Nightingale and his brother-in-law, Officer Sebastian Bly, are called in to investigate a house fire that killed two young children. The discovery of a baby hiding underneath the porch put Billy and Sebastian on the trail of a murderous mother while Sebastian and his wife, Annie, raise baby Meredith without revealing her dangerous and frightening past. Meredith grows up to be a promising young ballerina, fueled in part by the fictional past that Sebastian and Annie have invented for her. But the truth threatens their charmed family circle as Merry's biological mother returns to finish what she started.
Tabula Rasais not only a gripping and entertaining crime novel but also a sensitive, warm exploration of the deeper issues of what defines a family and an individual.
About the Author :
Shelly Reuben has written numerous novels. Her first, Julian Solo, was nominated by the Mystery Writers of America for an Edgar Award and by the Libertarian Futurist Society for a Prometheus Award. Her novel Origin & Cause was nominated for a Falcon Award by the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan. She also writes two newspaper columns and regularly contributes short stories to the Forensic Examiner. She lives in New York City.
Kate Fleming (1965-2006), winner of more than a dozen Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award in 2004, was one of the most respected narrators in the industry. Trained at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, she was also a director, producer, and technician at her own studio, Cedar House Audio.
Review :
"Tabula Rasa is a stunning novel. It shocks and revolts you, and then restores your faith in humanity. Reuben writes not only of fire, but with fire."
-- "Dorothy Salisbury Davis, winner of the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America"
"Tabula Rasa...is a compelling, intriguing tale that deals with the exposure of a calculated murderer whose victims are close to home...Reuben's mesmerizing tale succeeds on a variety of levels, exploring the growth of an individual whose past is a blank slate."
-- "Lansing State Journal"
"A poignant crime drama...Reuben, herself a veteran fire investigator, skillfully depicts the arson investigation."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"Shelly Reuben is an experienced arson investigator as well as a licensed private detective, which lends authenticity to her novels. Better yet, she is an adroit storyteller with a gift for creating quirky and compelling characters."
-- "San Diego Union-Tribune"
"This exciting suspense story, similar in style to Mary Higgins Clark's early novels, will grab teens from its intriguing beginning and keep them reading."
-- "School Library Journal"
