Whoa.

This is quite the suspense novel, but not in the usual way. The suspensefulness doesn't come from danger to the main characters or the world, but from the questions that are introduced at the beginning of the novel and hang over every move that the characters make and every word they say. Not to mention that I was also kept guessing until the novel got towards the end, and that's one of the most important part of a suspense novel.

Basically the plot was that Sebby, the sixteen year old son of Glynn, a US Congresswoman, tries to kill himself. Through him the story unfolds from there. Both his story and that of his mother. It's a multi-layered story that doesn't leaven anything hanging, but also leaves the reader wanting more.

Now, to figure out what MacGregor sneaks into the pages of her books to make them so addictive. ( )

Enjoyable read, focusing on a female US Senator from Indiana whose son attempts suicide, and the psychiatrist who treats the son at the hospital. I really liked the characters, and would like to see more of these two women in a sequel. The resolution of the "suspense" story wasn't surprising; I had guessed the ending very early in the story. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the deft way in which the author resolved the story, using the psychiatrist's professional skills and knowledge of human behavior. ( )