From USA Today bestselling author Daniel Hecht, The Body Below takes the reader on an uneasy quest for the nature of truth and who gets to tell it. Perfect for fans of In the Woods by Tana French and The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley.
Conn Whitman's long-distance swims keep him centered and sane--until a terrifying underwater encounter in a woodland lake plunges him into the middle of a murder investigation.
Once a superstar investigative reporter, disgraced by misconduct, Conn returned to his Vermont hometown to put his life back together. Now, after ten years on the job, he knows his community like nobody else. When he kicks a submerged object while swimming--something with the density and resilience of human flesh--he immediately wonders if it's connected to an unsolved murder in a nearby town.
Detective Marlene Selanski is the lead on the State Police investigation and soon locks horns with Conn. It's clear she considers him a suspect and believes his "vigilante research" is interfering with her investigation. Defying Selanski, Conn and his fiancée Celine Gabrielli combine their talents--her PhD in psychology, his skills at journalistic research and wealth of knowledge about Vermont's old villages--to seek answers on their own.
As layers of deception peel away, Conn and Celine realize too late the dangers of amateur sleuthing: Murder disrupts lives in unexpected ways, sending out ripples and bringing long-hidden secrets to the surface.
About the Author :
Daniel Hecht was a professional guitarist for twenty years. He took up writing in 1989 and received his MFA degree from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in 1992. His first novel, Skull Session, was a bestseller. He lives in Montpelier, Vermont.
Review :
"By the second page, I was horrified and hooked...Hecht explores the complications of love, concepts of justice, the many layers of motivation, betrayal and loss, healing and forgiveness. How well do you really know someone you love? Who can you trust?"
-- "Montpelier (VT) Bridge"
"The Body Below instantly ensnares you with a frightening premise, small-town intrigue, family drama, and traps galore. Daniel Hecht writes with unflinching honesty and authenticity. Here are the real Vermont and real people you'll remember long after you've stayed up late flipping to the last page."
-- "Sarah Strohmeyer, bestselling author of Do I Know You?"
"A soulful, improbable, and ultimately cathartic plunge into the depths."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"
"The Body Below is a first-rate mystery--beautifully written, compelling, and suspenseful--that grabbed me from the beginning and wouldn't let go!"
-- "Thomas Christopher Greene, author of The Headmaster's Wife "
"Damn. Good. Book. Daniel Hecht's The Body Below plunges deep beneath the placid waters of the present to confront the murkier water below the surface...This finely wrought murder mystery shows the reader the wisdom that comes when a search for the truth takes aim at a distant shore. Get ready to dive in!"
-- "Glenn Stout, New York Times bestselling author "
"With The Body Below, Daniel Hecht returns to what he does best: crafting a terrific mystery novel. Gripping, complex, literate, it's a compelling story that builds to an explosive climax. Based on true events, this superb psychological thriller will have you turning pages as quickly as you can read them. Don't miss The Body Below!"
-- "Rick Bleiweiss, award-winning and bestselling author of Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives"
