The Perfect Escape

October 4, 2021
In this twisty thriller from Konen (All the Broken People), three friends who have had lousy luck with men—Sam Lochman, Margaret Cahill, and Diana Holbein—desperately need a girls’ weekend away from New York City. But less than halfway to their Adirondack destination, plans start to veer off course when the key to their rental car disappears during a rest stop in Catskill, N.Y., the same quaint Hudson River hamlet where Harry Brant, who abruptly left Sam two months after they exchanged vows, has moved to be with his ex. That night at a local watering hole, after the well-lubricated Sam posts on Instagram in hopes of luring Harry, sparks fly between tipsy Margaret and an attractive younger guy—and Diana vanishes. Unreliable principal narrators Sam and Margaret initially reveal little, but readers begin to discover the trio’s dangerous deceptions to each other—as well as the outlines of a chilling if far-fetched plot. Even the characters one wants to root for prove morally compromised. This page-turner will appeal most to those who won’t mind being snookered in the name of suspense. Agent: Elisabeth Weed, Book Group.