The Passenger

January 11, 2016
Tanya Dubois, the enigmatic heroine of this enjoyable standalone from Lutz (How to Start a Fire), is the unhappy wife of the deceased Frank Dubois, who took a fatal—and unassisted—header down the basement stairs of their Waterloo, Wis., home. Since she fears the police will think she pushed Frank, Tanya decides to get out of Waterloo as fast as possible, and she holes up in a sleazy motel, the first of many she’ll stay in, to call the mysterious Mr. Oliver, who grudgingly agrees to supply her with a new identity and some starter cash: it’s clear he’s done it before. Tanya becomes Amelia Keen in Austin, Tex., where she meets the beguiling but dangerous bartender Blue. It’s soon clear that Amelia and Blue both have unsavory pasts, and the agreement the women reach sends both of them off with new names. While the pacing falters in places and some of the final reveals lack wallop, Lutz’s complex web of finely honed characters will keep readers turning the pages. Agent: Stephanie Rostan, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.

October 1, 2015

Beloved for her New York Times best-selling, Edgar- and Macavity-nominated, and Alex Award-winning "Spellman Files" series, Lutz drives into new territory here. Leaving behind a note saying, "I didn't do it"--that is, kill her husband--Tanya cashes in her credit cards, secures a new identity, and leaves town. She's befriended by female bartender Blue, and soon they're moving from city to city as Tanya (name-changed to Amelia, then Debra) tries to outrun the past.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015

When Tanya Dubois disguises herself and leaves behind her dead husband and a note proclaiming her innocence, it's clear this isn't the first time she's gone on the run. When she meets a mysterious bartender, they enter into a precarious partnership that will either dig Tanya in even deeper or finally set her free. As she makes her way across the country in a desperate attempt to survive, she becomes "Amelia," "Debra," "Emma," "Sonia," and "Paige," and the ease with which "Tanya" changes identities is both impressive and disquieting. Is she running from her past out of guilt, or because of something terrible done to her? When the answers finally come, they are juicy, complex, and unexpected. The satisfying conclusion will leave readers rethinking everything and immediately turning back to the first page to start again. VERDICT Psychological suspense lovers will tear through this thriller, a new direction for best seller Lutz (How To Start a Fire). Fans of her beloved "Spellman Files" series will have high expectations, and if they are open to a new genre and a darker energy and intensity, they will find her trademark independent narrator, smart writing, and rapid pace delivered here. [See Prepub Alert, 9/14/15.]--Emily Byers, Salem P.L., OR

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.